The associations between blood lipids and the Food Guide Pyramid: findings from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Abstract

Dietary recommendations are based on nutrients, foods, and food groups, but the relationship between the Food Guide Pyramid (FGP) food groups and serum lipids has not been studied. NHANES III data were obtained for US adults who met the following criteria: aged 20-59 years, reliable participant, and typical 24-h recall. We examined whether serum lipids (serum total cholesterol (STC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triacylglycerol) were related to FGP food group intake (dairy, fruit, grain, meat, and vegetable). A sample of 9111 participants qualified for this analysis. Fruit intakes were inversely related to STC, HDL-C, and LDL-C (P = 0.012, P = 0.001, and P = 0.014, respectively) and directly related to triacylglycerol levels (P = 0.003). Grain intake was inversely associated with both STC and HDL-C (P = 0.020 and P = 0.000). Dairy and meat intakes were directly related to LDL-C (P = 0.026 and P = 0.020). Food groups are related to serum lipids. Universal definitions for food groups are needed in research and nutrition education. Studying the relationships between food groups and serum lipids is important for future dietary recommendations related to serum lipids.