Feasibility of, and success in adopting a low-fat diet in coronary patients

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of dietary counselling and the predictability of success in reducing fat intake to less than 20% of total energy in patients with symptomatic coronary heart disease. Forty-seven patients with coronary heart disease attended a 2-week in-house cardiac rehabilitation course with the main emphasis on individual dietary counselling by a nutritionist. Patients were followed up at 3 and 6 months. The dietary data mere collected by means of 3-7 days food diaries. Mean fat intake decreased from 33.6 +/- 6.2% to 24.7 +/- 5.5% of total energy intake at 3 months and to 27.0 +/- 6.9% (p < 0.001) at 6 months. Only 13% of the patients were able to reduce their dietary fat intake as recommended. Thus, reduction of 20% was considered a good response, while reduction of <20% was classified as poor. Forty-seven percent (rt = 22) of the patients were good and 53% (n = 25) poor responders. It was not possible to predict the success rate from the baseline data. After a 2-week intensive counselling period at the rehabilitation centre, half of the coronary patients were able to comply with a low-fat diet at home for 6 months. Long-term compliance requires further investigation.