ABSTRACT
In order to elucidate the effects of a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet on serum lipid levels, 91 male collegians residing in the Seoul area were recruited. The vegetarians did not smoke tobacco nor drink alcohol. Their anthropometric measurements, dietary intakes, and blood lipid concentrations were compared to age-matched omnivorous controls. The subjects were divided into four groups. The four groups were: 1) NSNDV (n=25): Non Smoking Non Drinking Vegetarians, 2) NSNDO (n=10): Non Smoking Non Drinking Omnivores, 3) SDO (n=37): Smoking, Drinking Omnivores, 4) SDM (n=11): Smoking Drinking Meat-eaters. Total serum cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and hematocrit were analyzed. The results were as follows: Weight (p<0.05) and BMI (p<0.01) were significantly higher in SDM than NSNDV. Dietary protein (p<0.01), iron (p<0.05) and dietary lipids (p<0.01) from animals in NSNDV were significantly lower than the results in the SDM. Interestingly enough, we noted no significant differences between the four groups in terms of average total dietary protein, dietary lipids and dietary iron, total serum cholesterol, or HDL-cholesterol. Dietary fiber intake was significantly higher in NSNDV than in SDM (p<0.05). Weight, BMI, and total cholesterol were significantly positively correlated with animal protein (p<0.05) and animal lipid (p<0.01) intake. These results showed that vegetarian collegians who haven't smoked tobacco nor drunk alcohol evidenced lower body weight, BMI, and dietary animal lipid intake, but higher dietary fiber intake, than the other three groups. Additionally, intake of animal protein (p<0.001) and intake of animal lipids (p<0.001) were significantly positively correlated with body weight, BMI, and total serum cholesterol in male collegians.