Which is the best diet to reduce cardiometabolic risk: dietary counseling or home-delivered diet?

Background: Non-compliance with medical nutrition therapy can lead to an increase in cardiometabolic risk factors, resulting in an increase in the frequency of morbidity and mortality.

Objective: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of two different medical nutrition therapies designed to reduce cardiometabolic risk factors.

Design: The study was conducted on voluntary overweight and obese women who sought services at a specialized Nutrition and Dietary Counseling Clinic. The clinic offered dietary counseling (n = 47) and home-delivered diet (n = 53) services, and the participants themselves decided which method they preferred. Both groups were followed for a period of 4 weeks. The general information, physical activity (PA) status, biochemical findings, blood pressure, anthropometric measurements, and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) of the voluntary participants were evaluated. Taking into consideration the participants’ dietary habits and health status, an appropriate dietary plan (55–60% carbohydrates, 15–20 protein%, 25–30% fat) was prepared.

Results: The anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, and biochemical parameters of overweight and obese individuals who received dietary counseling and home-delivered diet services were evaluated before and after the diet. In both groups, cardiometabolic risk factors were found to decrease. It was determined that those who received the home-delivered diet service had a greater reduction in body weight, Body Mass Index values, body fat percentages, and waist circumferences compared to those who received dietary counseling (P < 0.001). Similarly, fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, and blood pressure values were found to decrease more significantly in individuals receiving the home-delivered diet service (P < 0.001). Additionally, both groups showed an increase in High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, with a greater increase observed in those receiving the home-delivered diet service (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, participants who received the home-delivered diet service, which is particularly beneficial for individuals who struggle with healthy meal preparation and portion control, exhibited better adherence to medical nutrition therapy and experienced a greater reduction in cardiometabolic risk factors compared to those who received dietary counseling.