Mobile Application Increased Nutrition Knowledge Among Brazilian Physicians

Abstract

ObjectiveTo assess whether using a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet recommendation application increases primary care physicians’ knowledge and dietary counseling skills. DesignA randomized controlled trial. SettingBrazilian public primary care service. ParticipantsTwo hundred and twenty-two physicians (intervention group: n = 111; control group: n = 111). InterventionThirty days of using the Dieta Dash application. The application provides information about nutritional recommendations for hypertension management. Main Outcome MeasuresNutrition knowledge score. Secondary outcomes: self-assessment of knowledge, self-confidence, assessment of eating habits, and barriers to dietary counseling. AnalysisLinear mixed-effects models for repeated measures and generalized estimating equations for comparing changes between groups. ResultsA total of 66.2% of participants completed the follow-up. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the mean knowledge score (P = 0.15). The prevalence of high knowledge increased by 12% (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00–1.25) in the intervention group and showed an improvement in the self-confidence assessment (PR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.02–1.44), and increased assessment of eating habits (PR = 1.26; 95% CI, 1.10–1.55). Conclusions and ImplicationsThe Dieta Dash application helped address dietary counseling, improving knowledge and self-confidence. However, innovative strategies are needed to minimize the primary care barriers.