UMMS Affiliation

Department of Medicine, Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine; Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine

Date

10-2008

Document Type

Poster

Subjects

Food Habits; Diet; Health Behavior

Disciplines

Behavioral Disciplines and Activities | Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms | Community Health and Preventive Medicine | Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition | Preventative Medicine

Abstract

Public health recommendations for a healthy diet often involve complex messages, requiring in-depth knowledge for understanding and compliance. The present study compared the feasibility and initial efficacy of two simple messages (a high fiber diet or a low saturated fat diet) to a combination message (high fiber and low saturated fat) on the potential to impact dietary quality and metabolic health. Conclusions: A simple dietary message appears to improve overall dietary quality and aid in weight management. Simple messages are a novel approach which could make a significant impact on the prevention and treatment of chronic disease as well as weight management. Results support the need for a larger randomized controlled trial that is powered to examine the efficacy of a simplified dietary recommendation for dietary quality and metabolic health. It would be worth exploring the impact of simple messages in a larger trial to determine their usefulness as simple public health messages as an alternative the current complex recommendations.

Citation: Olendzki B, Ma Y, Schneider K, Merriam P, Culver A, Ockene I, Pagoto S. Simple messages to improve dietary quality: A pilot investigation. American Dietetic Association Annual Meeting, October 2008, Chicago, Ill.