Resources for Optimizing Nutrition and Lifestyle to Improve Patient Outcomes

Studies have found that the majority of cardiologists lack current, up-to-date education surrounding nutrition and diet. A report published by the American Journal of Medicine, authored by a dozen healthcare professionals in the United States and Spain, titled “A Deficiency of Nutrition Education and Practice in Cardiology” details that less than a third of cardiologists describe their nutrition knowledge as “mostly up to date” or better. In order to lessen the total annual cost and financial burden of cardiometabolic disease, it is incumbent upon clinicians to support the implementation of proper nutritional training.

CMHC has partnered with the Gaples Institute for Integrative Cardiology, a nonprofit that aims to provide leadership in advocacy and education surrounding the critical role of nutrition and lifestyle in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, to offer information regarding evidence-based dietary and nutritional advice.

The Need for Optimizing Nutrition and Lifestyle to Improve Patient Outcomes

Among the 17 top risk factors for premature death and disability, poor quality of diet is listed as number 1¹.

Studies have demonstrated the benefits of nutrition

modifications in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events², the progression to diabetes in patients with pre-diabetes³, and blood pressure.^4-5.

90% of cardiologists report

that they received little to no nutrition education during their training in a recent study.⁶

Clinician educational needs:

Nutrition
Effective counseling

Clinician barriers:

Training
Time

Maximizing the impact of nutritional counseling:

Provide a baseline of a few simple measures
Track changes in measures at each visit

Nutritional and Lifestyle Resources

Diet and Nutrition:

Mediterranean Diet Studies:

Over 70% reduction in cardiac events through dietary measures alone

Report 1 Report 2 Report 3

Green Leafy Vegetables:

Each daily serving reduces risk of coronary heart disease by 23%

Whole Grains:

2.5 servings of whole grains/day reduce the risk of cardiovascular events by 21%

Nuts:

4 servings/week reduce the risk of coronary death by 37%

Fish:

2 servings/week reduce all cause mortality by 29%

Fish Oil:

Recent meta-analysis showing no reduction in mortality with fish oil supplementation

Exercise:

Exercise Dose Response:

14% lower risk of coronary heart disease with 150 min/week of exercise and 20% lower risk with 300 min/week

Exercise Session Duration:

Exercise remains beneficial when in divided into frequent sessions throughout the day

Resistance Training:

30 min/week of resistance training lowers risk of coronary heart disease by 23%

Mind/Body:

Meditation:

Meditation and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Positive Effect:

Reduced the risk of coronary disease by 22%

Music Helps Improve Heart Health:

Music can alter brain chemistry, and these changes may produce cardiovascular benefits, as evidenced by a number of different studies.

References:

Murray CJ, Atkinson C, Bhalla K, et al. The state of US health, 1990-2010: burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors. JAMA. 2013;310(6):591-608.
Estruch R, Ros E, Salas-Salvadó J, et al. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(14):1279-90.
Knowler WC, Barrett-Connor E, Fowler SE, et al. Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. N Engl J Med. 2002;346(6):393-403.
Appel LJ, Moore TJ, Obarzanek E, et al. A clinical trial of the effects of dietary patterns on blood pressure. DASH Collaborative Research Group. N Engl J Med. 1997;336(16):1117-24.
Kapil V, Khambata RS, Robertson A, et al. Dietary nitrate provides sustained blood pressure lowering in hypertensive patients: a randomized, phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Hypertension. 2015;65(2):320-7.
Devries S, Agatston A, Aggarwal M, et al. A Deficiency of Nutrition Education and Practice in Cardiology. Am J Med. 2017;130(11):1298-1305.