STUDIES IN ATHEROSCLEROSIS. III. AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDY OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN TRAPPIST AND BENEDICTINE MONKS: A PRELIMINARY REPORT

Abstract

Two groups of monks, one Trappist and one Benedictine, have been studied to determine whether or not they are suitable for a long term epidemiologic study of atherosclerosis. The Trappist group is lacto-ovo-vegetarian while the Benedictine group is omniverous. The diets in the groups were significantly different. The Trappists obtain 26% of their calories from fat while the Benedictines obtain 45% of their calories from fat. Serum lipids were studied in the 2 groups by biochemical, ultracentrifuge, and electrophoretic techniques, and the serum lipids were significantly different in the 2 groups. On a group basis there seemed to be a definite relationship between the amount of fat in the diet and the serum lipids. However, on an individual basis the serum lipids could not be correlated with fat intake alone, suggesting that there are factors other than age and dietary fat which affect serum lipids. An outline of a proposed epidemiologic study of atherosclerosis in these 2 groups is given.