Pumpkin Seeds or Oil Lower Serum Triglyceride Levels in Individuals With Hyperlipidaemia

The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effects of cholesterol-restricted diets enriched with pumpkin seeds or pumpkin seed oil on cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with hyperlipidemia. Specifically, the study aimed to determine the effects of these dietary interventions on serum lipid parameters (total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides), blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), and anthropometric measurements (body weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, and fat mass) over a 28-day period. The study hypothesizes that incorporating pumpkin seeds or pumpkin seed oil into a cholesterol-restricted diet will improve serum lipid parameters and blood pressure, and reduce anthropometric measurements. Research Questions: Primary Questions: Does consumption of a cholesterol-restricted diet in individuals with hyperlipidemia result in statistically significant improvements in the serum lipid profile (i.e., decreases in TC, LDL-C, and TG, and increases in HDL-C)? Do diets enriched with pumpkin seeds or pumpkin seed oil lead to greater improvements in these lipid parameters compared to a control group that only follows a cholesterol-restricted diet? Secondary Questions: Does the intervention (regardless of group) lead to reductions in anthropometric indices such as body weight, BMI, body fat percentage, and fat mass? Are reductions in anthropometric measurements and improvements in blood pressure more pronounced in groups consuming diets enriched with pumpkin seeds or pumpkin seed oil compared to the control group?