ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CHOLESTEROL INTAKE AND ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY: NHANES-LINKED MORTALITY STUDY

Objectives: There has been insufficient evidence for a quantitative recommendation for dietary cholesterol, therefore, we aim to investigate the optimal cholesterol intake related to a lower all-cause mortality risk. Methods: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a large population survey to investigate public health in the United States. We analysed data from 1999-2002 linked with mortality data obtained through 2006. Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated to assess risks for all-cause mortality associated with cholesterol intake. Results: A total of 7,728 participants were analysed in the present study, and 519 assumed death events. Compared with the third quartile (216-373 mg/day) of cholesterol intake, the risks of mortality increased in both the first two and the last quartiles (quartile 1: HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.16-2.00; quartile 2: HR 1.22, 95% CI 0.94-1.60; quartile 4: HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.05-1.83). The association between cholesterol intake and the risk of all-cause mortality followed a U-shaped curve, with the cholesterol intake associated with the lowest mortality being 328 mg/day. Conclusions: The present study suggests an optimal cholesterol intake for lowering the all-cause mortality risk.