Nutrition interventions for adults with dyslipidemia: A Clinical Perspective from the National Lipid Association.

Lifestyle habits can have a profound impact on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk. The National Lipid Association previously published recommendations for lifestyle therapies to manage dyslipidemia. This Clinical Perspective provides an update with a focus on nutrition interventions for the three most common dyslipidemias in adults: 1) low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) elevation; 2) triglyceride (TG) elevation, including severe hypertriglyceridemia with chylomicronemia; and 3) combined dyslipidemia, with elevations in both LDL-C and TG levels. Lowering LDL-C and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol are the primary objectives for reducing ASCVD risk. With severe TG elevation (≥500 mg/dL), the primary objective is to prevent pancreatitis and ASCVD risk reduction is secondary. Nutrition interventions that lower LDL-C levels include reducing cholesterol-raising fatty acids and dietary cholesterol, as well as increasing intakes of unsaturated fatty acids, plant proteins, viscous fibers, and reducing adiposity for patients with overweight or obesity. Selected dietary supplements may be employed as dietary adjuncts. Nutrition interventions for all patients with elevated TG levels include restricting intakes of alcohol, added sugars, and refined starches. Additional lifestyle factors that reduce TG levels are participating in daily physical activity and reducing adiposity in patients with overweight or obesity. For patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia, an individualized approach is essential. Nutrition interventions for addressing concurrent elevations in LDL-C and TG include a combination of the strategies described for lowering LDL-C and TG. A multidisciplinary approach is recommended to facilitate success in making and sustaining dietary changes and the assistance of a registered dietitian nutritionist is highly recommended.

Medical Nutrition Education, Training, and Competencies to Advance Guideline-Based Diet Counseling by Physicians: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association.

Growing scientific evidence of the benefits of heart-healthy dietary patterns and of the massive public health and economic burdens attributed to obesity and poor diet quality have triggered national calls to increase diet counseling in outpatients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or risk factors. However, despite evidence that physicians are willing to undertake this task and are viewed as credible sources of diet information, they engage patients in diet counseling at less than desirable rates and cite insufficient knowledge and training as barriers. These data align with evidence of large and persistent gaps in medical nutrition education and training in the United States. Now, major reforms in undergraduate and graduate medical education designed to incorporate advances in the science of learning and to better prepare physicians for 21st century healthcare delivery are providing a new impetus and novel ways to expand medical nutrition education and training. This science advisory reviews gaps in undergraduate and graduate medical education in nutrition in the United States, summarizes reforms that support and facilitate more robust nutrition education and training, and outlines new opportunities for accomplishing this goal via multidimensional curricula, pedagogies, technologies, and competency-based assessments. Real-world examples of efforts to improve undergraduate and graduate medical education in nutrition by integrating formal learning with practical, experiential, inquiry-driven, interprofessional, and population health management activities are provided. The authors conclude that enhancing physician education and training in nutrition, as well as increasing collaborative nutrition care delivery by 21st century health systems, will reduce the health and economic burdens from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease to a degree not previously realized.

A Deficiency of Nutrition Education and Practice in Cardiology.

BACKGROUND: Nutrition is one of the foundations of cardiovascular guidelines for risk reduction and treatment. However, little is known about whether cardiologists, cardiology fellows-in-training, and cardiovascular team members have the nutrition education and knowledge necessary to implement these guidelines. The aim of this study was to describe the educational experiences, attitudes, and practices relating to nutrition among cardiovascular professionals. METHODS: Surveys completed by cardiologists, fellows-in-training, and cardiovascular team members inquired about their personal dietary habits, history of nutrition education, and attitudes regarding nutrition interventions. RESULTS: A total of 930 surveys were completed. Among cardiologists, 90% reported receiving no or minimal nutrition education during fellowship training, 59% reported no nutrition education during internal medicine training, and 31% reported receiving no nutrition education in medical school. Among cardiologists, 8% described themselves as having "expert" nutrition knowledge. Nevertheless, fully 95% of cardiologists believe that their role includes personally providing patients with at least basic nutrition information. The percentage of respondents who ate ≥5 servings of vegetables and fruits per day was: 20% (cardiologists), 21% (fellows-in-training), and 26% (cardiovascular team members). CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of cardiovascular specialists have received minimal medical education and training in nutrition, and current trainees continue to experience significant education and training gaps.