RELATIONSHIP OF DIETARY-CHOLESTEROL TO SERUM-CHOLESTEROL CONCENTRATION AND TO ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN MAN

Dietary cholesterol is closely associated with both serum cholesterol concentrations and mortality rates for arteriosclerotic heart disease among both large and small population groups. However, the correlation coefficients are reduced to zero or to very low values when associated variables are taken into account. Therefore, simple correlation coefficients cannot be cited as proof of an independent effect of dietary cholesterol, but only as suggestive evidence of a causal relationship. Among individuals within groups, numerous cross-sectional studies have failed to find a significant independent association of dietary cholesterol with either serum cholesterol concentration or with risk of arteriosclerotic heart disease. The failure to find such correlations, however, does not negate a causal relationship because measurement errors are large and because between subject variability in serum cholesterol concentrations is large regardless of diet.