Dietary Interventions to Prevent Disease

Abstract

Key Words nutrition intervention, chronic disease preventions Abstract Changing dietary behaviors to prevent chronic disease has been an important research focus for the last 25 years. Here we present a review of published articles on the results of research to identify methods to change key dietary habits: fat intake, fiber intake, and consumption of fruits and vegetables. We divided the research reviewed into sections, based on the channel through which the intervention activities were delivered. We conclude that the field is making progress in identifying successful dietary change strategies, but that more can be learned. Particularly, we need to transfer some of the knowledge from the individual-based trials to community-level interventions. Also, more research with rigorous methodology must be done to test current and future intervention options. INTRODUCTION Rationale for Changing Dietary Behaviors to Prevent DiseaseDifferences in people's dietary intake are thought to account for more variation in cancer incidence than any other factor, including cigarette smoking (112,123). Most of the supporting scientific evidence comes from observational studies, including aggregate population studies (52,80). Carefully conducted epidemiological observational studies, both prospective and case-control, show repeatedly that dietary factors are associated with several chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, some types of cancer, stroke, and non-insulin dependent diabetes, and thereby contribute substantially to the burden of preventable illness (31, 36, 41,48,49,54,59,67,79,86,89,94,101,111,118,122). Although there are exceptions (37,51,63,64,93,102,121), these studies are consistent in pointing to the roles of fat, fruits, and vegetables. However, a recent randomized controlled trial of low-fat, high-fiber dietary intervention failed to find benefit in lowering incidence of recurrent adenomas (88 Rationale for the Literature ReviewMany investigators have designed, implemented, and evaluated dietary change interventions targeting these critical nutrients. Although some changes have been made in the general public, the levels of fat, fruit, and vegetable consumption still fall short of goals in the areas of dietary fat intake and daily servings of fruits and vegetables, for example (55). We must identify successful methods of changing dietary behaviors to prevent disease in order to implement them as part of standard public health and primary care medical practice. Several reviews have been published in the past 15 years on the best methods of intervening in dietary behaviors in several areas of public health activity, such as cholesterol-lowering trials (107), worksites (38), patient education (92), cardiovascular disease prevention trials (23, 113), interventions in whole communities (42), and environmental influences (34). However, this disparate literature has not been pulled together. We have conducted this information synthesis to fill in this gap. Criteria for the Literature SearchWe used an initial e...

Will a Healthy Lifestyle Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease?

“…Research supports diet as one of the most important factors in the incidence of several diseases and as a primary factor in increasing life expectancy (7). Improving dietary intake may affect AD prevalence directly, through intake of antioxidantrich and low-cholesterol foods, and indirectly, through preventing other AD risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.…”

Inverse Relationship between Lipid-lowering Drugs and Saturated Fat Intake in US Adults

“…The maintenance of dietary SF reduction, however, is challenging and requires constant reinforcement. While many intervention studies have demonstrated short-term change in dietary SF intake, long-term maintenance is difficult [10,11]. Whether taking cholesterol-lowering drugs serves as a reminder of having hypercholesterolemia or a replacement for behavioral modification is unknown.…”

Policies and Actions for Cancer Prevention: Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity

“…Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs are only inconsistently associated with degrees of physical activity [60,61] and body fatness as measured by BMI [71,72]. Effective programmes include education and information components as part of concerted action, supported in the family and community by health professionals [73,74].…”