Issue 128 Item 4 Even With Motivation Patients Fail to Change Life Style

Despite motivation, patients with diabetes still consuming high-fat diets, failing to exercise sufficiently In a recent study of patients with diabetes, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension, investigators found that study subjects with these diet-modifiable disorders were motivated to eat less fat.

Nonetheless, most of these individuals were overweight or obese, consumed a diet high in fat and low in fruits and vegetables, and performed very little physical exercise.

The researchers collected data from 1,782 adult men and women who completed an annual clinic visit as part of a large study of diet and health.

Typical dietary intake during the preceding month was assessed with a self-administered food frequency questionnaire.

Trained staff obtained detailed medical histories and information on health and exercise habits, in addition to measuring height and weight and collecting a fasting blood specimen to determine total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and carotenoids.

Forty-two percent of the study subjects reported at least 1 diet-modifiable disease or risk factor for disease. These participants had higher total serum cholesterol (P<.001) and triglycerides (P<.001) compared with those who did not report these conditions.

Diabetes patients appeared to consume a greater percent of energy from fat (P<.01) and hypertensive men consumed a greater percent of energy form saturated fat (P<.05), compared with subjects without these conditions.

Additionally, participants on average consumed diets that were not consistent with recommended guidelines for the prevention or treatment of the diet-modifiable disorders in question.

Furthermore, 46% of all study subjects were overweight or obese, and body mass index was significantly higher among those with at least 1 diet-modifiable condition (P<.001).

Healthy subjects and those with disease exercised approximately 17 minutes per day. Compared with their healthy counterparts, diabetes patients exercised with 25% less intensity (P<.05). J Am Coll Nutr 2002;21:394-401.