In its latest draft recommendation, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is advising primary care physicians to offer counseling regarding healthy lifestyle habits in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD), even for adults who are at low risk. The recommendation applies to adults who are 18 years of age and older who are not obese, as well as adults without hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, or abnormal blood glucose levels. The recommendation is a result of a review of 88 trials in which the USPSTF found that behavioral counseling provided at least a small benefit for cardiovascular risk reduction. These benefits included improvements in systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, LDL-cholesterol levels, BMI, and waist circumference. They did not find evidence that behavioral counseling resulted in a reduction in mortality or CVD rates.
Methods of behavioral counseling included either print- or Internet-based materials and face-to-face individual or group counseling.
The USPSTF is accepting comments on the draft recommendation through January 2, 2017.
Reference:
USPSTF releases draft recommendation on behavioral counseling for healthy diet, CVD prevention.
