Dietary therapy intervention reduces C-reactive protein in individuals diagnosed with hypertension

The inflammatory process in hypertension is a complex response, with C-reactive protein (CRP) being the inflammatory marker with the most robust literature. Studies suggest that diet and lifestyle play an important role in blood pressure control, making it a key nutritional therapy.

To investigate the effect of dietary intervention and motivational nutritional intervention on CRP modulation in patients diagnosed with hypertension.

Controlled intervention study with users of primary health care (PHC) in the municipality of Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil, diagnosed with hypertension. Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio into the diet therapy group (DG), with care based on diet therapy for hypertension, and the motivational interview group (MIG), with care based on the theories of motivational interviewing. Data were collected at the beginning and at the end of the 6-mo span between the different interventions. The outcome variable was CRP, and the explanatory variables were sociodemographic, biochemical, and anthropometric data.

The dietary intervention led to a reduction in CRP (-0.26 mg/L). The decrease was significant in participants who did not consume tobacco (-0.26 mg/L), alcohol (-0.58 mg/L), and those with normal urea (-0.26 mg/L), and microalbuminuria (-0.26 mg/L).

The diet therapy intervention was more effective than motivational interviewing in reducing CRP levels in individuals diagnosed with hypertension.