Stage-matched nutrition guidance for patients at elevated risk for cardiovascular disease: A randomized intervention study in family practice

OBJECTIVE: To examine stage-matched nutrition counseling by family physicians and its effect on dietary intake, anthropometry, and serum lipid levels in patients at elevated risk for cardiovascular disease. METHODS: In this controlled trial, patients randomized to intervention practices received nutrition information following the Stages-of-Change Model, and patients randomized to control practices received usual care. RESULTS: At both 6 and 12 months after baseline, total fat intake and saturated fat intake declined significantly more in the intervention group than in the control group: -5.7% and -2.6% of energy, respectively, at 6 months, and -3.6% and -1.7% of energy, respectively, at 12 months. For energy intake, body weight, and BMI, there were significant differences between groups only at 6 months: -0.8 megajoules (MJ), -0.7 kg, and -0.3 kg/m², respectively. None of the serum lipid values changed significantly between groups at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional counseling based on stages of change led to reductions in dietary fat intake and weight loss in the short term. However, we found no corresponding changes in serum lipid concentrations.