Reducing cardiovascular disease risk with diet

Objective: Past research efforts to determine the influence of the diet on cardiovascular (CV) health have focused on the individual roles of specific dietary components with debatable success. Awareness of the impact and com plexity of nutrient interactions has expanded in recent years to include as sessment of dietary patterns as they contribute to lower CV disease risk. Research Methods and Procedures: In a series of multicenter studies, we com pared a comprehensive, prepared meal plan, formulated to meet recommended i ntake levels of macro- and micronutrients, with a self-selected diet based on the exchange system. The three studies comprised adult participants with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and type 2 diabetes (n = 560, 251, and 330, respectively). The first two studies (10 weeks) varied by the amount of con tact with study personnel, and the third study assessed long-term effects o ver 52 weeks. Outcome measures included: blood pressure, lipid and lipoprot ein levels, glycemic control, homocysteine, compliance, quality of life, an d weight. Results: The first study demonstrated significant improvements in all measu res, with greater improvements with the prepared meal plan compared with th e self-selected diet. The second study, designed to parallel the contact fr equency that would occur in a real world clinical setting, also produced si gnificant improvements in multiple CV risk factors. In the long-term study, in addition to sustained improvements in risk factors, significant weight loss was achieved and maintained over the 52 weeks. Discussion: These trials demonstrate that regular consumption of a nutritio nally complete diet offers multiple, concurrent clinical benefits for reduc ing CV disease risk and body weight.