Effectiveness of dietary advice given by community dietitians to men with elevated blood cholesterol in a clinical setting: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effect of two types of dietary advice given by community dietitians on subsequent dietary intake in Scottish men, over 8 weeks.


METHODS
A parallel design intervention study was employed. Twenty-five men with elevated blood cholesterol levels were randomly assigned to Group 1 (advice to reduce dietary fat only) or Group 2 (advice to reduce dietary fat and sugar).


RESULTS
Neither group significantly reduced fat intakes, yet both groups self-rated their fat intake as being lower at the end than at the start of the study. Group 2 reduced per cent energy from sugar and increased per cent energy from starch without significantly changing per cent energy from total carbohydrate. No significant change in blood cholesterol levels were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Advice to reduce dietary fat was not effective in this group of subjects. Advice to reduce both fat and sugar resulted in a decrease in sugar intake only. Both groups wrongly rated their fat intake to be lower at the end of the study. This may be a barrier to further dietary advice.
Drummond
S
S
Centre for Nutrition and Food Research, Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh, UK. sdrummond@qmuc.ac.uk
Kirk
T
T
Jackson
J
J
Hendry
J
J
Panton
S
S
Gray
F
F
D000328:Adult; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003376:Counseling; D004032:Diet; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004046:Dietetics; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D013213:Starch / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D013213:Starch; D002784:Cholesterol