There have been numerous requests for information regarding lifestye and how it impacts LDL and HDL subclass distribution. Many years ago Dr Peter Wood observed that HDLC was higher in runners versus non runners. Lipoprotein subfractions of runners and sedentary men. The previous observations are in part what led to the Stanford weight loss project. Changes in plasma lipids and lipoproteins in overweight men during weight loss through dieting as compared with exercise.
Fewer people are familiar with the second publication based on laboratory work done at Berkeley.
This figure illustrates the lack of difference following one year between the do nothing control group, and the group randomized to an exercise program that resulted in loss of body fat. In the do nothing group there was very little change, as one might expect. In the group that took up a running program, there was a significant decrease in small, dense LDL that was balanced by an increase in the large, buoyant LDL which balanced each other out. The importance of this information is that if one loses body fat and there is little to no LDL cholesterol change, there can be a highly significant change in small and large LDL that are just not detected by routine laboratory tests.