Table 2.

Predicted and observed changes in serum cholesterol in intervention and control groups

	Observed dietary changes*			Serum cholesterol % changes
	LA (% change)	SFA (% change)		Predicted based on Keys equation†	Observed in MCE (n=2355)‡
Intervention diet	288	−51		−18.1%	−13.8% (SD 13.0%), P<0.001
Control diet	38	-1		−1.1%	−1.0% (SD 14.5%), P<0.001

LA=linoleic acid; SFA=saturated fat.

*Changes from baseline hospital diet calculated from 1975 abstract, with LA estimated by multiplying total polyunsaturated fatty acids by 0.9.

†∆Chol=1.3(2∆S−∆P) where S and P are percentage of calories from saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively

‡Percent change in serum cholesterol concentration calculated for each individual in cohort that received diet for one year or more. P values from paired t test comparing concentrations before and after randomization.