Increasing daily fruit and vegetable consumption: what changes do cardiac patients make?

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Nutritional Science
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Dietary interventions often show increased fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption but lack detail on *how* changes occur.
• Understanding the mechanisms of dietary change is crucial for effective public health strategies.
• Cardiac patients are a key demographic for dietary interventions due to their health risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify changes in daily fruit and vegetable consumption in cardiac patients undergoing an intervention.
• To explore the specific behavioral strategies employed by participants to increase FV intake.
• To identify preferred methods for increasing FV consumption within this population.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 120 cardiac patients aiming to increase daily FV intake by two portions over 3 months.
• Regular telephone follow-ups using a dietary questionnaire at 7, 28, and 90 days.
• Analysis of dietary consumption data from 94 participants who completed the study.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in mean daily fruit consumption (1.07 portions) and vegetable consumption (0.34 portions) over 3 months (P < 0.001).
• The greatest increases were observed in participants with initially low FV intake.
• Participants preferred incorporating fresh fruit as snacks and with meals.

Conclusions:

• Information provision and telephone follow-up are viable alternatives to face-to-face contact for healthcare professionals.
• Future interventions to boost overall FV intake should prioritize fruit consumption.
• Further research is needed to develop effective strategies for increasing vegetable consumption.