Abstract

Background: Blood pressure (BP) is the major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and is the leading cause of death in the US. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of nutrient-dense, portion-controlled, functional foods coupled with E-nutrition counseling on BP in patients with hypertension.

Methods: Forty-one adults (17 males, 24 females) with a medical diagnosis of hypertension and elevated BP (BP>120/80mm Hg) were recruited. Subjects consumed three nutrient-dense, portion-controlled, functional foods daily for 8 weeks. The foods included 25-35% of the Daily Value (DV) for all nutrients (including potassium) except for sodium and chloride. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) BP and body weight were measured weekly by participants and self-reported. Quality of life was assessed using a validated questionnaire (SF-12), which measured physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component scores.

Results: Baseline mean age, BMI and BP of study participants were 57±7 years, 32.8±5.4kg/m2 and 146±18/89±8mm Hg SBP/DBP, respectively. BP decreased by 11.4/11.2mm Hg (SBP/DBP, p<0.05) compared to baseline, after 8 weeks of the dietary intervention. Body weight and BMI decreased by 3.9% (p<0.05) and 1.7kg/m2 (p<0.05), respectively. PCS and MCS scores improved (p<0.05) after 8 weeks of dietary intervention.

Conclusion: BP and body weight decreased significantly, and quality of life indicators improved after 8 weeks of a dietary intervention with nutrient-dense, portion-controlled, functional foods coupled with E-nutrition counseling. The improved BP reported in this study is comparable to Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and reported efficacy of anti-hypertensive drugs.

Keywords: Nutrient-dense foods; Functional foods; Blood pressure; Body weight; BMI; Quality of life