Nutrition education intervention increases total ω-3 fatty acid intakes in heart patients living in the Midwest

The objective of this research was to assess the impact of a nutrition education intervention on intake of total ω-3 fatty acids (n-3 FA) in heart patients. The intervention design was a randomized trial comparing 2 interventions: decisional balance (DB) and no decisional balance (NDB). The outcome measures were total dietary n-3 FA intake and food sources. Intakes were measured using an n-3 FA food frequency questionnaire at baseline, at 1 month (midpoint), and at 2 months (end). Participants were a convenience sample of 36 adults (15 males, 21 females) recruited from a local heart clinic. Data were processed using the SPSS computer software (version 10.0, SPSS, Chicago, Ill). Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance with post hoc tests (least significant difference) were used to assess differences in total dietary n-3 FA intake over time and changes in intake from food groups. Total ω-3 FA intakes for both interventions increased from baseline to midpoint (P < .001) and from baseline to end (P < .014). Although there was no significant difference between groups, the DB intervention increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, fish/seafood, dairy, eggs, and legumes at 1 month and maintained the increases in vegetables, eggs, and legumes at 2 months (P < .05). The NDB intervention increased consumption of fruits, nuts/seeds, dairy, vegetables, fish/seafood, and eggs at 1 month (P < .05), and maintained the increases in dairy, fish/seafood, and eggs at 2 months. The intervention could be used by health care providers and nutrition educators who work with populations that will benefit from consuming more total dietary n-3 FA.