Abstract
Purpose: We considered the secondary effects of medically tailored groceries high in fibre or healthy fats on sodium and potassium intakes.
Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a trial that evaluated free medically tailored grocery provision on the cardiometabolic risk profile of adults recovering from an acute coronary event. Participants were randomly allocated to one of three groups for 12 weeks: usual care, usual care and groceries high in healthy fats, or usual care and high dietary fibre groceries. Sodium and potassium intakes were assessed using food diaries at baseline, at the end of the 12-week intervention, and at 3 months and 12 months follow-up.
Results: Data from all 309 participants were analysed (Usual care: 101; Healthy fats: 105; High fibre: 103). High fibre participants increased potassium intake (+ 279 mg (95%CI 0 to 558 mg)) when compared with Usual care during the intervention period, but this was not maintained during follow-up. There was a decrease in sodium intake for High fibre participants than Usual care at three (- 257 mg (95%CI - 512 to - 1 mg)) and twelve (- 357 mg (95%CI -644 to -71 mg)) months. Healthy fats participants also decreased sodium intakes compared with Usual care, but only at 12 months follow-up (- 342 mg (95%CI - 625 to - 57 mg)).
Conclusions: Providing 12 weeks groceries high in unsaturated fats or dietary fibre to adults recovering from an acute coronary event reduced sodium intakes in trial follow up when compared with no grocery provision. An increase in potassium was observed only during the intervention for participants receiving high fibre foods.