The Effect of Oat Beta‐Glucan on Clinical Lipid Markers for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction: A Systematic Review & Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background Oats are a rich source of β‐glucan, a viscous soluble fibre recognized for its cholesterol lowering properties, and are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Objective To conduct a systematic review and meta‐analysis of RCTs investigating the cholesterol lowering potential of oat β‐glucan on LDL‐C, non‐HDL‐C, and apoB, for the risk reduction of cardiovascular disease. Design MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched. We included Only RCTs of ≥ 3 weeks duration assessing the effect of diets enriched with oat β‐glucan compared with controlled diets on LDL‐C, non‐HDL‐C, or apoB. Two independent reviewers extracted relevant data and assessed study quality and risk of bias. Data were pooled using the generic inverse variance method with random effects models and expressed as mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity was assessed by the Cochran Q statistic and quantified by the I 2 statistic. Results 58 trials (N = 3952) were included in the final analysis. A median dose of 3.5 g/day of oat β‐glucan significantly lowered LDL‐C (MD = −0.19 mmol/L [95% CI: −0.23, −0.14] P < 0.00001) non‐HDL‐C (MD = −0.20 mmol/L [95% CI: −0.26, −0.15] P < 0.00001) and apoB (MD = −0.03 g/L [95% CI: −0.05, −0.02] P < 0.0001) compared to control interventions. There was evidence of considerable unexplained heterogeneity in the analysis of LDL‐C (I 2 = 79%) and non‐HDL‐C (I 2 = 99%). Conclusion Pooled analyses show that oat β‐glucan have a lowering effect on LDL‐C, non‐HDL‐C, and apoB. Inclusion of oat containing foods may be a strategy for achieving targets in cardiovascular disease reduction.