A dietary intervention in primary care practice: The eating patterns study

Objectives. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a low-intensity dietary intervention in primary care practice in lowering dietary fat intake and raising dietary fiber intake. Methods. A randomized controlled trial of 28 physician practices in six primary care clinics enrolled, by telephone, adult patients who had appointments for nonurgent non-acute visits. Of 3490 eligible patients contacted, 2111 completed baseline interview; 86.1% also completed a 12-month follow-up. Physicians gave intervention participants a self-help booklet and a brief motivational message. Changes in fat and fiber from baseline to 12-month follow-up were evaluated. Results. intervention and control groups both reported a decrease in fat intake and an increase in fiber intake. The differential change and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the percentage of energy obtained from fat was -1.2 (CI = -0.71, -1.7) (P = .0015), for grams fiber/1000 kcal 0.32 (CI = -0.066, 0.71) (P = .086), for fat score -0.044 (CI = -0.016, -0.072) (P = .010), and for fiber score 0.036 (CI = 0.011, 0.061) (P = .014), with greater reductions in fat and greater increases in fiber in the intervention group. Conclusions. This low-intensity intervention was effective in dietary behavior change.