What are patients actually eating: the dietary practices of cardiovascular disease patients.
OBJECTIVE
To examine dietary quality for patients after a coronary heart disease (CHD) event using a selective review.


RESULTS
Poor dietary quality is a risk for patients before and after CHD events. Although cardiac rehabilitation programs often contain a nutrition education component and are advised for many patients, few patients attend cardiac rehabilitation. The American population experiences many difficulties with adherence to a higher-quality diet. A diet high in dietary quality is important in reducing risk of recurrent disease, yet few patients who have faced life-threatening cardiac events are adherent to such dietary recommendations.


CONCLUSIONS
A review of the literature indicates the need for postevent dietary evaluation and effective nutrition counseling with ongoing follow-up. In addition, we need to demonstrate the effectiveness of such approaches.
Ma
Yunsheng
Y
Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. Yunsheng.Ma@umassmed.edu
Olendzki
Barbara C
BC
Pagoto
Sherry L
SL
Merriam
Philip A
PA
Ockene
Ira S
IS
D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004032:Diet; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors