Fatty acid compositions of soybean and palm oils. and different. Linoleate, alpha-linolenate, oleate and palmitate contents in soybean oil (SB) are 53.0, 7.0, 26.5 and 9.2% of total fatty acids, whereas those in plam oil (PO) are 12.0, 0.4, 42.5 and 38.2%. The objectives of this study are to compare the effect of SB and PO intakes on serum lipoprotein levels

in serum and erythrocyte total lipids, and platelet function. The study included 12 healthy men with the age of 28-39 years and body mass index of 19.1-25.2 kg/m(2). They were divided into two groups. Total study period was 24 weeks consisting of 4 weeks of baseline period, 8 weeks of the first vegetable oil period, 4 weeks of washout period and 8 weeks of the second vegetable oil period. The first and second vegetable oils consumed by group I were SB and PO, respectively, whereas the reverse sequence was carried out in group II. Each vegetable oil contributed 25% of total energy intake. The dietary energy distribution was 15% from perotein, 30% from fat and 55% from carbohydrate throughout the study. At SB period, linoleate, alpha-linolenate, oleate and palmitate intakes were 13.73, 1.78, 8.11 and 3.34% of total calories whereas at PO period, these values were 3.46, 0.12, 12.48 and 10.47%. Fatty acid intakes and their levels in serum and erythrocyte indicate the compliance of the subjects to the assigned diets. Their linoleate status were adequate before entering and during the study. During the SB period, there was significant increases in serum and erythrocyte linoleate and alphalinolenate levels and the levels declined in the PO period. In group I

serum total cholesterol and LDL-C levels during the SB period decreased from the initial levels 30 and 40%, respectively. The change was detected at the first week of the SB period. In group II, the levels of total cholesterol and LDL-C levels during the PO period decreased from the initial levels 9 and 8% whereas the net decreases in serum total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglyceride levels were 3, 16 and 39% during SB period. No striking change was found in platelet count and platelet aggregation due to different fatty acid intake. In conclusion, SB is better than PO to maintain the adequacy of linoleate and alpha-linolenate status with concomitant decrease in serum total cholesterol, LDL-C and triglyceride levels.