The objective was to determine the effects of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) step II diet on LDL and HDL particle size in dyslipidaemic adolescents. Forty-four dyslipidaemic adolescents, aged 10–18 years, participated in this case-control study. The control diet was a diet similar to what most Tehranian adolescents eat. NCEP step II diet was a diet with 30 % of energy as total fat, less than 7 % saturated fat, less than 200 mg cholesterol/d, less than 15 % of energy as MUFA and less than 10 % as PUFA. Lipoprotein particle size was the major outcome variable, which was measured after 3 months of intervention. Comparison was made by the repeated measurement ANOVA. The mean BMI was 26·3 (sd 4·2) kg/m2. There were no significant changes in weight or physical activity in the two groups during the study. The NCEP diet resulted in higher reduction in total cholesterol ( − 13 (sd 4) v. − 2 (sd 0·3) mg/dl, P < 0·001) and LDL ( − 9 (sd 2) v. 3 (sd 0·6) mg/dl, P < 0·01), and higher increase in size of the LDL (1·7 (sd 0·4) v. 0·1 (sd 0·4) nanometer, P < 0·001). HDL particle size did not change significantly. NCEP step II diet had a favourable effect on the LDL particle size. The related mechanism needs to be studied in future experimental designs.