Impact of a Short-Term Naturopathic Whole-Foods-Based Nutrition Education Intervention on Dietary Behavior and Diabetes Risk Markers: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of measuring the health impacts of a 12-week naturopathic whole foods nutrition education course among adults with or at risk for prediabetes. DESIGN: A pilot nonrandomized pre-post intervention design investigated physiological changes associated with participation in a 12-week structured naturopathic nutrition education course. Follow-up measures were assessed at 6 and 12 months from baseline. SETTINGS/LOCATION: Three community-based kitchens in Oregon. SUBJECTS: Forty-five adults with or at risk for prediabetes. INTERVENTION: Twelve weekly 90-min workshops emphasizing the health benefits of a naturopathic whole foods diet and including collective meal preparation and communal dining. OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in biomarkers of diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk, including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), hemoglobin A1c, insulin, and lipids, and changes in dietary behaviors at baseline, postintervention (12 weeks), and 6- and 12-month follow-up. Changes in biomarkers and food consumption patterns were assessed using linear mixed models with random intercept, including data from all participants who completed the end-of-intervention assessment. RESULTS: Pre-post intervention results for 45 participants showed decreases in blood glucose and hs-CRP. Food frequency questionnaire data showed decreases in daily servings of grain, dairy, and fat postintervention. Decreases in blood glucose, hs-CRP, triglycerides, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, very-low-density lipoprotein, and HbA1c from baseline were observed at 12-month follow-up. Both insulin and high-density lipoprotein were decreased from baseline and 12-week levels at the 6-month follow-up but increased from all earlier levels at 12 months (all p < 0.0001). Daily servings of meat, dairy, and fat remained decreased at 6-month follow-up. Reduced grain consumption observed at 12-week and at 6-month follow-up was not sustained, and increased at 12 months, although still decreased from baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that this naturopathic nutrition education series may promote dietary behavior change with associated changes in clinical biomarkers. Larger controlled studies are needed to confirm these results.

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