RESEARCHERS from the University of Surrey at Guildford are seeking volunteers to take part in a new study, investigating the effects dietary fat has on blood cholesterol levels.

They are looking for healthy men aged between 30 and 65 who will be asked to follow two four-week diets, one after the other, which contain different amounts of dietary fat.

The different amounts of fat in each diet will be achieved by swapping usual butters/spreads, dairy products and snacks, with foods that will be provided. Researchers will then monitor blood cholesterol levels to see how individuals respond to each diet, and attempt to explain what causes the differences in LDL cholesterol response to the diets.

Blood cholesterol, or more specifically LDL “bad cholesterol” is a well-established risk factor for heart disease. The level of LDL cholesterol in your blood can be raised by diets rich in saturated fat, but it does not have this effect in everyone.

When some people eat too much saturated fat their LDL cholesterol level can stay the same or even go down, and little is known about what causes these different responses.

Results from this study will help dietitians and doctors to tailor dietary advice to people for whom eating saturated fat is either more or less important to their heart health.

For more details or to take part in the health study, contact Dr Rona Antoni at [email protected].