title: Dietary intervention for people with mental illness in South Australia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  People with serious mental illness (SMI) have a 25-30 year lower life expectancy than the general population due largely to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Mediterranean diet can reduce CVD risk and repeat events by 30-70%. We conducted a pilot feasibility study (HELFIMED) with people who have SMI residing within a Community Rehabilitation Centre in South Australia, aimed at improving participants' diets according to Mediterranean diet principles.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a 3-month intervention, participants were provided with nutrition education, food hampers, and twice-weekly cooking workshops and guided shopping trips. This report presents the results of a mixed method evaluation of the programme using thorough in-depth interviews with participants and support staff (n = 20), contextualized by changes in dietary biomarkers and CVD risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The framework thematic analysis revealed evidence of improvements in participants' knowledge of and intake of the key elements of a Mediterranean-style diet (fruit and vegetables, olive oil, fish, legumes), reduction in poor nutrition habits (soft drinks, energy drinks, take away meals) and development of independent living skills-culinary skills such as food preparation and cooking based on simple recipes, food shopping and budgeting, healthy meal planning and social interaction. These changes were supported by dietary biomarkers, and were associated with reduced CVD risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A Mediterranean diet-based pilot study achieved positive change in dietary behaviours associated with CVD risk for participants with SMI. This supports a need to include dietary education and cooking skills into rehabilitation programmes for people with SMI.
authors.affiliation: Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science.
authors.forename: Svetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bogomolova
authors.affiliation: Sansom Institute for Health Research, Division of Health Sciences.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zarnowiecki
authors.affiliation: Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fielder
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Procter
authors.affiliation: Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Itsiopoulos
authors.affiliation: Sansom Institute for Health Research, Division of Health Sciences.
authors.forename: Kerin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Dea
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Directorate, Local Southern Adelaide Health Network, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Strachan
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Directorate, Local Southern Adelaide Health Network, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ballestrin
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Directorate, Local Southern Adelaide Health Network, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Champion
authors.affiliation: Sansom Institute for Health Research, Division of Health Sciences.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Parletta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003296:Cooking / Q000379:methods; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia
keywords: Mediterranean diet; behaviour; cardiovascular disease risk; lifestyle; nutrition; schizophrenia; serious mental illness