Efficacy of Nutrition Education within a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program on Eliciting Heart Healthy Diet Changes

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if nutrition education classes taught by a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) to cardiac rehabilitation patients improved dietary habits, specifically dietary fat intake. Method: This retrospective chart review assessed changes in diet composition of participants enrolled in the cardiac rehabilitation program at University Hospitals Case Medical Center (UHCMC). Participants were offered nutrition education classes and the cardiac program administered the Diet Habit Survey, pre and post education. Participants were separated into groups A, B, C depending on the year they attended cardiac rehabilitation. The data was summarized using means ± standard deviation (SD). One way ANOVA and paired t test were used to compare baseline characteristics, sex and survey scores pre and post within groups. Data was analyzed using the JMP 11.1.1 software. Simple linear regression was used to assess the relationship between change in survey scores and number of classes attended. Spearman’s Rho was used to calculate correlations between pre-survey scores and the number of classes attended. Results: Participant’s baseline characteristics, co-morbidities, entry diagnosis, survey scores and lipid panel were similar among all groups. The post survey scores improved in groups A, B, and C (p ≤ 0.001, 0.007, 0.001) respectively. A change in survey score was not associated with number of classes attended among all groups combined (p = 0.210) nor among individuals assigned to the various participation groups. Categorical changes in % fat were not detected among groups A, B, or C or between sexes (p-value 0.307, 0.349, 0.646 respectively). Conclusion: Nutrition education taught by a RDN can improve dietary habits of participants who attend cardiac rehabilitation programs.