RESULTS Weight loss was associated with a decline in CRP level .
Our results suggest that weight loss may be an effective nonpharmacologic strategy for lowering CRP level
BACKGROUND Several studies suggest that weight loss reduces C-reactive protein ( CRP ) level ; however , the consistency and magnitude of this effect has not been well characterized .
Our objective was to test the hypothesis that weight loss is directly related to a decline in CRP level .
Effects of a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods vs lovastatin on serum lipids and C-reactive protein.
CONTEXT To enhance the effectiveness of diet in lowering cholesterol , recommendations of the Adult Treatment Panel III of the National Cholesterol Education Program emphasize diets low in saturated fat together with plant sterols and viscous fibers , and the American Heart Association supports the use of soy protein and nuts . OBJECTIVE To determine whether a diet containing all of these recommended food components leads to cholesterol reduction comparable with that of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors ( statins ) . DESIGN R and omized controlled trial conducted between October and December 2002 . SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Forty-six healthy , hyperlipidemic adults ( 25 men and 21 postmenopausal women ) with a mean ( SE ) age of 59 ( 1 ) years and body mass index of 27.6 ( 0.5 ) , recruited from a Canadian hospital-affiliated nutrition research center and the community . INTERVENTIONS Participants were r and omly assigned to undergo 1 of 3 interventions on an outpatient basis for 1 month : a diet very low in saturated fat , based on milled whole-wheat cereals and low-fat dairy foods ( n = 16 ; control ) ; the same diet plus lovastatin , 20 mg/d ( n = 14 ) ; or a diet high in plant sterols ( 1.0 g/1000 kcal ) , soy protein ( 21.4 g/1000 kcal ) , viscous fibers ( 9.8 g/1000 kcal ) , and almonds ( 14 g/1000 kcal ) ( n = 16 ; dietary portfolio ) . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Lipid and C-reactive protein levels , obtained from fasting blood sample s ; blood pressure ; and body weight ; measured at weeks 0 , 2 , and 4 and compared among the 3 treatment groups . RESULTS The control , statin , and dietary portfolio groups had mean ( SE ) decreases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of 8.0 % ( 2.1 % ) ( P = .002 ) , 30.9 % ( 3.6 % ) ( P<.001 ) , and 28.6 % ( 3.2 % ) ( P<.001 ) , respectively . Respective reductions in C-reactive protein were 10.0 % ( 8.6 % ) ( P = .27 ) , 33.3 % ( 8.3 % ) ( P = .002 ) , and 28.2 % ( 10.8 % ) ( P = .02 ) . The significant reductions in the statin and dietary portfolio  groups were all significantly different from changes in the control group . There were no significant differences in efficacy between the statin and dietary portfolio treatments . CONCLUSION In this study , diversifying cholesterol-lowering components in the same dietary portfolio increased the effectiveness of diet as a treatment of hypercholesterolemia
RESULTS Weight loss was associated with a decline in CRP level .
Our results suggest that weight loss may be an effective nonpharmacologic strategy for lowering CRP level
BACKGROUND Several studies suggest that weight loss reduces C-reactive protein ( CRP ) level ; however , the consistency and magnitude of this effect has not been well characterized .
Our objective was to test the hypothesis that weight loss is directly related to a decline in CRP level .