title: A novel measure of dietary change in a prostate cancer dietary program incorporating mindfulness training.
abstract: Diet may represent a modifiable prostate cancer risk factor, but a vegetable-based prostate-healthy diet is a major change for most men. We used a ratio of animal to vegetable proteins (A:V) to evaluate whether a comprehensive dietary change was self-sustaining following completion of 11 weekly dietary and cooking classes that integrated mindfulness training. Thirty-six men with recurring prostate cancer were randomized to the intervention or wait-list control. Assessments were at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Of 17 men randomized to the intervention, 14 completed the requirements. Nineteen were randomized to control and 17 completed requirements. Compared with controls, a significant postintervention (3 months) decrease in A:V in the intervention group (P=0.01) was self-maintained 3 months postintervention (P=0.049). At each assessment, A:V was correlated with lycopene, fiber, saturated fat, and dietary cholesterol, four dietary components linked to clinically relevant outcomes in prostate cancer. Change in A:V was also significantly correlated with changes in fiber, saturated fat, and dietary cholesterol intake. Participants reported regular mindfulness training practice, and there was a significant correlation between mindfulness training practice and changes in both initiation and maintenance of the change in A:V. These pilot results provide encouraging evidence for the feasibility of a dietary program that includes mindfulness training in supporting dietary change for men with recurrent prostate cancer and invite further study to explore the possible role of mindfulness training as a means of supporting both initiation of dietary changes and maintenance of those changes over time.
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA.
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Carmody
authors.forename: Barbara C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Olendzki
authors.forename: Philip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Merriam
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yongxia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Yunsheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014674:Plant Proteins, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000178:diet therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014675:Vegetables; D014850:Waiting Lists
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D014674:Plant Proteins, Dietary; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen