Efectividad de una intervención dirigida a mejorar el seguimiento de la dieta mediterráneael ensayo predimed

Resumen

The PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) study is the first large trial to randomize elderly Spanish adults to follow either 2 mediterranean diets (MeDiet) supplemented with mixed nuts or olive oil, or a control diet for primary cardiovascular prevention. The objetives of this research were: to evaluated the changes in food and nutrient intake after an intervention for 12 months and to identify predictors of higher success of the dietary intervention. Eligible participants were asymptomatic subjects aged 55 to 80 years, with diabetes or  3 cardiovascular risk factors. The dietary intervention conducted by registered dietitians, took place every 3 months and was based on group and individual nutritional education and depending on group assignment, participants were given quantities of either virgin olive oil or mixed nuts. Our results show that an intensive and frequent dietary intervention was effective in improving dietary habits, always moving toward a more healthful overall food pattern. Thus, the proportion of participants who modified their dietary habits towards a more healthful pattern was substantially greater in the MeDiet groups than in the control group. Besides, the strongest predictors of success in improving adherence to the MeDiet were marital status, baseline dietary habits and not having previous history of diabetes. Finally, the knowledge of some participant characteristics could contribute to predicting the likelihood of achieving dietary goals and can be useful for promoting individualized long-term dietary changes and to improve the effectiveness of dietary counseling.