Using Individual, ApoE Genotype-Based Dietary and Physical Activity Advice to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle: Associations between Psychological, Behavioral and Clinical Factors

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to combine the results of three different papers reporting psychological, behavioral, and clinical changes in risk factors for Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) in the context of ApoE based genetic feedback, and study associations between their variables. In the analysis, we focused on the statistically clearest changes (p < 0.05): cardiovascular threat experience, dietary fat quality, triglycerides and waist circumference. Design: A one-year, explanatory controlled intervention study in Finland. Settings: Psychological, behavioral, and clinical changes were measured three-four times during the intervention (T0, T1, T2, and T3). Hierarchical multiple regression, a forward stepwise method, was used to analyze predictors for the changes in cardiovascular threat experience (T0-T1), dietary fat quality (T0-T1), triglyceride values (T0-T2) and waist circumference (T0-T2). Subjects: Healthy adults, aged 20-67 years (n = 106) of which 16 belonged to the high-risk group (Ɛ4+), 35 to the low-risk group (Ɛ4-) and 55 to the control group. Results: The change in Body Mass index was the most significant predictor for the change in triglyceride values and waist circumference (p < 0.001). The group (Ɛ4+, Ɛ4-, control) was a significant predictor for the change in dietary fat quality (p = 0.024) and for the change in waist circumference (p = 0.027). Conclusion: Changes in psychological predictors (anxiety and threat experience, motivation), in health and taste attitudes, and health behaviors (diet, alcohol consumption, physical activity) did not directly explain the changes in triglyceride values and waist circumference. However, the change in threat experience may affect the change in triglycerides through total and HDL cholesterol. Clinical changes seemed to accumulate.