The Effects of an Anti-inflammatory Dietary Consultation on Self-efficacy, Adherence and Selected Health Outcomes: A Randomized Control Trial

Research has shown that an anti-inflammatory diet can reduce inflammation and improve health outcomes in individuals with neurological disability, however, long term adherence is challenging. This study aimed to determine the effects of a 2-part dietary consultation, targeted at identified barriers for adherence in this population, on self-efficacy for adhering to an anti-inflammatory diet, as well as adherence and health outcomes one-month post-intervention. Eleven individuals (10 female, age 51.5±12.6 years) with neurological disability (7 multiple sclerosis, 3 spinal cord injury, 1 muscular dystrophy; 20.5 ± 10.6 years post-injury/diagnosis) participated. The intervention group (n = 7) received recipes for an anti-inflammatory diet and the consultation, while controls (n = 4) received the recipes only. The consultation included a home-visit involving cooking and accessible kitchen equipment demonstrations, and an accompanied trip to the grocery store. Task and barrier self-efficacy improved immediately following the consultation with trends for improvement one-month post-intervention. The consultation was also associated with increased dietary adherence one-month post-intervention and decreased depressive symptoms. Changes in dietary adherence (r = −.61; P = .045), and barrier self-efficacy (r = −.77; P = .009) were negatively correlated to changes in depression. Thus, a consultation targeted at barriers related to anti-inflammatory eating can improve self-efficacy for adherence as well as actual adherence and depressive symptomology one-month later.