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Had Americans diagnosed with diet‐related chronic diseases improved their diet, and what psychosocial factors might affect the association?
Author(s) -
Chen Xiaoli,
Cheskin Lawrence J,
Shi Leiyu,
Wang Youfa
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.227.1
Subject(s) - medicine , psychosocial , affect (linguistics) , percentile , chronic disease , gerontology , obesity , diabetes mellitus , endocrinology , psychology , psychiatry , communication , statistics , mathematics
Objectives To test if Americans diagnosed with diet‐related chronic diseases had made desirable dietary changes, and if this was affected by their nutrition knowledge and beliefs (NKB) and food label (FL) use. Methods Data from 4,356 US adults in the 1994–96 Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals and the Diet and Health Knowledge Survey were used. Diet was assessed using two 24‐hour recalls. Diet quality was evaluated using US Department of Agriculture 2005 Healthy Eating Index (HEI). Results The mean HEI of Americans with one or more chronic diseases was higher than that of non‐patients (mean±SE: 53.6±0.5 vs. 51.8±0.4; P<0.001). Only 1.7% of patients and 1.1% non‐patients had a HEI≥80 as recommended. Patients were 30% more likely to have a higher HEI (≥80 th percentile) than non‐patients. The positive diseases‐HEI associations only existed in Americans with good NKB (OR=1.80; 95% CI=1.34, 2.43). The diabetes‐HEI association was stronger in FL users (OR=2.24; 95% CI=1.08, 4.63) than non‐FL users (OR=1.33; 95% CI=(0.65, 2.73). Conclusions Americans with chronic diseases had better diet quality than healthy adults, especially in those with good NKB and in FL users. However, very few (<2%) of Americans, patients and non‐patients, had a good diet. Physicians should play a more active role to encourage their patients to improve diet. Nutrition education and promotion of FL use may help improve diet quality.