NUTRITIONAL STUDIES OF VEGETARIANS

Abstract

The cholesterol intakes, as determined by calculation, and serum cholesterol measurements of a limited number of “pure” vegetarian, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, and non-vegetarian pregnant women, adolescents, and adults of both sexes are reported. The dietary cholesterol is higher in the non-vegetarian groups than in the lacto-ovo-vegetarian groups. The “pure” vegetarians’ diet is, of course, cholesterol-free. Serum cholesterol levels of the adult vegetarian groups tend to be lower than the adult non-vegetarian groups, the pure vegetarians having the lowest values. The significantly lower serum cholesterol concentration of the “pure” vegetarians occurred despite a free intake of vegetable fat. Cholesterol levels appear more closely correlated to the intake of animal fat than of total fat. The higher serum cholesterol concentrations of the older adult groups as compared with the younger groups would support the observation of others that there occurs a gradual increase in cholesterol levels with advancing age. Since the differences in serum cholesterol in the adolescent age groups is only slight, it is suggested that with aging there may occur a diminishing ability of the body to handle excess cholesterol, whether of endogenous or exogenous origin.