A 2-Year Stage of Change Evaluation of Dietary Fat and Fruit and Vegetable Intake Behaviors of Cardiac Rehabilitation Patients

Abstract

Cardiac rehabilitation patients are in different stages for two food behaviors linked to the same illness. Results support the appropriateness of nutrition education that emphasizes instrumental information for affecting fat reduction behaviors. Modifying fruit and vegetable intake behaviors is more appropriately addressed with noninstrumental interventions that emphasize health benefits and barriers to change.

Testing the Assumptions of Stage of Change for Fruit and Vegetable Consumption: A Naturalistic Study

“…Over one-third of respondents were in the preparation stage of change. While this is unusual for most proactively recruited samples [25] it is consistent with other fruit and vegetable staging results [40,27]. Next, cross-sectional comparisons of individuals in different stages showed significant differences for fruit and vegetable consumption and self efficacy as well as related constructs from the Theory of Planned Behavior including attitude, intention, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control.…”

Planning to change diet: A controlled trial of an implementation intentions training intervention to reduce saturated fat intake among patients after myocardial infarction

“…Previous randomized controlled trials have shown that complex cognitive-behavioral interventions result in a decrease in fat consumption among individuals who are at risk for coronary heart disease [24,25], patients with coronary artery disease [26], or patients enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation [27]. These findings were obtained for followup periods of up to 18 months.…”

Change in Women's Dietary Fat Intake Following an Acute Cardiac Event: Extent, Predictors and Comparison with Non-Cardiac Australian Women and Older Adults

“…Certainly a reduction in dietary fat intake is not uncommon amongst cardiac patients. In a study of patients enrolled in a CR program, 83% of patients were in either the action or maintenance stages of change in relation to dietary fat intake at the baseline assessment (prior to the commencement of CR), suggesting that dietary changes were well underway prior to their event [29]. Cardiac patients are encouraged and supported by both general practitioners and specialists in their attempts to reduce dietary fat intake in accordance with national dietary recommendations [11,12].…”