Effect of a community-based intervention on nutritional behaviour in a developing country setting: the Isfahan Healthy Heart Programme

• Published in: Public health nutrition Vol. 12; no. 9; pp. 1422 - 1430
• Main Authors: Mohammadifard, Noushin, Kelishadi, Roya, Safavi, Morteza, Sarrafzadegan, Nizal, Sajadi, Firoozeh, Sadri, Gholam Hosein, Maghroon, Maryam, Alikhasi, Hasan, Heydari, Said, Sarmadi, Fereshteh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.09.2009
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Analysis of Variance; Behavior; Cardiovascular disease prevention; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Community Health Services; community nutrition programs; Community-based programme; Dairy products; Developing Countries; Diet; Dietary behaviour; dietary fat; Dietary Fats - administration & dosage; Disease; disease prevention; eating habits; Environmental legislation; fat intake; Female; Food; Food consumption; Food groups; Governors; Health Behavior; Health promotion; Health Promotion - methods; Heart; heart diseases; Humans; Independent sample; Intervention; Interventional studies; Iran; Isfahan Healthy Heart Programme; LDCs; Male; Mathematical analysis; Meat; Meat products; Medical personnel; Middle Aged; Mortality; Nutrition; Nutrition research; nutritional intervention; Nutritional Sciences - education; Population; Professional education; Professionals; Public health; Risk factors; risk reduction; Surveys; Iran; Iraq; An Najaf Iraq; Interventional studies; Dietary behaviour; Cardiovascular disease prevention; Community-based programme
• ISSN: 1368-9800; 1475-2727; 1475-2727
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980008004230

The present study was conducted to determine the impact of a community-based intervention on the nutritional behaviour of a representative sample of Iranian adults. The Isfahan Healthy Heart Programme (IHHP), a six-year, action-oriented, integrated community-based study aimed at health promotion through the reduction of CVD risk factors, targeted the whole population living in two intervention cities, and compared outcomes with the population of a non-intervention city considered as reference. Dietary interventions were performed as educational, environmental and/or legislative strategies. A global dietary index (GDI) was calculated representing the general dietary behaviour. In addition, two consumption indices were calculated for specific food groups, i.e. meat products and major sources of fat. Univariate AVOVA was conducted to evaluate the impact of the intervention on dietary behaviours. Isfahan and Najaf-Abad (intervention cities) and Arak (reference city), central Iran. The baseline survey was conducted among 12514 randomly selected adults aged > or =19 years in both intervention and reference areas. The survey was repeated annually among about 5000 persons (2002-2005) in the intervention and reference communities. According to significant year x group interactions in mean fat consumption index (FCI) and meat consumption index (MCI) in the total population, a significant improvement in FCI and MCI was found in the intervention areas v. the reference area (P < 0.001). In addition, the GDI improved significantly in the intervention areas v. the reference area (P < 0.001). The IHHP interventions were effective in improving dietary behaviours at the population level. The highest effectiveness was documented in the change in the type of fat consumed. Such simple and integrated interventions can be adopted in other developing countries with limited financial resources.