Report highlights differing approaches to dietary cholesterol

In the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, there are no specific recommendations relating to cholesterol intake. Rather, advice limits total and saturated fat intake and focuses on other dietary factors - such as consumption of lean meats, reduced fat dairy, whole grains, fruits and vegetables - in order to achieve healthy blood cholesterol levels.

While the US dietary guidelines also include advice on whole grains, dairy, fruit and veg, and other food groups, the advice relating to cholesterol management centres on limiting daily cholesterol intake to 300 mg.

The differing advice has implications for the food industry, not least in so far as labelling of food products.

While there is no indication that the advice may be under review, the study, conducted by the Life Sciences Research Office at the behest of the American Egg Board, is intended to be a framework for understanding the evidence on which guidelines are based, for the benefit of physicians, nutritionists, clinical researchers and public health policymakers.

Natural sources of cholesterol in the diet include meat, eggs and cheese.

"Food fat, cholesterol and fibre can influence blood levels of LDL-cholesterol, a known risk factor for heart disease and cardiac fatalities,"​ said the organisation.

But it adds: "The relevance of dietary cholesterol as a primary target for public health programs and disease prevention has been questioned by some experts."​

At least 30 per cent of US men surveyed between 1994 and 1996 were found to exceed the recommended 300mg per day.

According to the European Heart Network in 2002, "dietary intakes in Europe tend to be within the usual population goal of less than 300 mg per day specifed by expert groups and consensus documents".​

More information on the report is available from www.lsro.org