Adherence to very-low-fat diet by a group of cardiac rehabilitation patients in the rural southeastern United States
T. L. Franklin, K. M. Kolasa, K. Griffin, C. Mayo and D. T. Badenhop
Department of Family Medicine, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, USA.
This 28-week observational study measured adherence to and acceptability of
the diet and nutrition component of an Ornish-type program among patients
in a rural southern setting. Ten volunteers followed a very-low-fat (10% of
energy), total vegetarian diet and participated in a program of exercise,
stress management, and group support. Patients made significant dietary
changes and found the diet "acceptable." Three patients consumed less than
10% of energy from fat and two additional patients consumed less than 20%
of energy from fat. Eighty-five percent of the patients' meals adhered to a
near vegetarian diet. Weight loss ranged from 0.1 to 11.7 kg (0.25 to 26
lb). Lipid values were unchanged. At 12 months, without the benefit of the
structured program, one patient reported 100%, six reported 85%, and two
reported 50% adherence to the dietary principles. We conclude that
motivated patients with coronary artery disease can follow a very-low-fat,
near vegetarian diet but experience difficulty without a structured
program.
