Newly published research has given further scientific support to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) which had been put to together to promote health and reduce risk of chronic diseases.

Researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and Wake Forest University have come up with a statistical model that assessed adherence to the DGA and its impact on atherosclerosis in women.

They found that those who followed the recommendations for whole-grain, total fat and cholesterol intake most closely experienced the greatest decrease in atherosclerotic progression.

“This observation is critical as we identify foods and behaviors to improve health and encourage compliance through education among the general public, health care professionals and public health policy decision-makers,” says Dr. Roger Clemens, spokesman for the American Society for Nutrition.

The results are being incorporated into the ongoing work on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines.

Low cholesterol is a key element in the fight against heart disease, and there are many natural remedies that may help keep it that way, including nutritional supplements containing niacin, omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil and red yeast rice extract.