M.S.

Although the association between elevated serum cholesterol levels and cardiovascular risk has been known for many years, few studies, with freely living individuals have used a full complement of intervention strategies to attempt to alter practices associated with elevated serum cholesterol. Two studies, (Study 1, n=4; Study 2, n=8) with 12 middle age men (mean age = 47.3 years) and with elevated serum cholesterol (x= 238.7 mg/dl) are presented that use multiple measures of serum cholesterol (using the Boehringer Mannheim Reflotron and finger stick technique). The main intervention strategies included a combination of procedures using education, frequent serum cholesterol feedback (two to three times per week), and specific dietary feedback (one to two times per week). A less intensive intervention that is similar to recent studies in the literature was also implemented and assessed for half the subjects in Study The results of the two studies indicated that within approximately 14 weeks, the combination of enhanced procedures reduced serum cholesterol by about 14%, or about double that found in prior studies. The less intensive intervention showed reductions of 9.1% The use of multiple measures also allowed for the study of intraindividual variability. issues pertaining to maintenance of effect, cost-effectiveness, and generalizability are also discussed. / Master of Science