The implementation of a web-based diet quality screener as a self-management tool to improve the diet quality of adult patients with cardiovascular diseases

Background & aims

Improving diet quality is a crucial aspect of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk management. However, in clinical practice, there is limited time to evaluate diet quality and to provide dietary advice. Patients therefore mostly depend on self-management to address their diet quality. This study aimed to investigate whether the web-based Eetscore tool could improve the diet quality of CVD patients.

Methods

A pre-posttest study with a duration of three months was performed in 65 (64 ± SD years) CVD patients. At baseline, participants were asked to complete the Eetscore: a brief web-based questionnaire to assess diet quality on a scale of 0–160 and provides dietary advice. Diet quality was assessed again after three months. The change in diet quality over time was assessed with a paired sample T-test.

Results

The average diet quality score at baseline was 102.5 ± 19.2 (95 % confidence interval (CI): 97.8; 107.3). Participants who completed both baseline and follow-up measurements (n = 41) showed no statistically significant changes in mean diet quality scores, with mean diet quality scores 101.9 at baseline and 103.4 after three months (95 %CI for change −2.7; 5.8, p = 0.74).

Conclusion

Implementation of Eetscore did not lead to significant improvements in diet quality of CVD patients over time. Participants mostly indicated that Eetscore provided insight into their diet quality, however this was not sufficient to induce dietary changes. We suggest that, in addition to a web-based tool, a healthcare professional emphasizing the importance of higher diet quality may be needed to improve the diet quality of CVD patients.