Nutrition and physical activity interventions to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in health care settings: A quantitative review with a focus on women

The authors conducted a quantitative literature review of the impact of 32 diet and physical activity (PA) interventions delivered in health care sett ings on cardiovascular disease risk factors, Intervention effects were rela tively modest but statistically significant for PA, body mass index or weig ht, dietary fat, blood pressure, and total and low-density lipoprotein seru m cholesterol. Intervention effects were generally larger for samples with a mean age > 50 years and for studies with <6 months follow-up. Type of com parison group, type of intervention, and use of a behavior theory did not h ave a consistent impact on intervention effects. Few studies focused on per sons of color, although the results from these studies are promising.