Impact of nutrition counselling on knowledge and practice scores of cardiovascular disease subjects

The impact of nutrition counselling was studied on random sample of 30 in the age group of 41–60 years. Preexposure knowledge level of respondents regarding disease, role of diet and lifestyle was assessed by prestructured questionnaire. Nutrition counselling was given to the respondents with the help of flash cards. Impact of nutrition counselling was assessed after 30 days of nutrional counselling (post-exposure knowledge). Majority of subjects belonged to the age group of 41–50 (66.67%) followed by 51–60 years (33.33%). More than half of the subjects had studied up to primary school (56.67%) followed by illiterates (43.33%). The pre-test knowledge counselling showed that about 43.33 per cent of the subjects had low followed by medium and high knowledge scores. About three-fourth of the subjects (74.00%) had the knowledge score between 20–40 per cent. After the counselling majority of the subjects had knowledge score of 80–100 per cent (46.67%). Majority (73.33%) modified their dietary and lifestyle pattern after the diet counselling; majority restricted intake of whole milk and milk products, fried food, butter and ghee. They increased the intake of fruits, vegetables, cereals, pulses, millets, papaya, watermelon, pomegranate and pineapple. They also included flax and fenugreek seeds in their diet. Thus the respondents gained significant knowledge regarding the role of diet in cardiovascular disease after counselling.