Dietary patterns of patients with chronic coronary heart disease: a cross-sectional study

The objective of this study was to identify dietary patterns in an outpatient cohort of coronary heart disease (CHD) patients, to compare these patterns with dietary recommendations of the international cardiology guidelines, and verify associations with cardiovascular risk factors. Dietary intake was assessed through a food frequency questionnaire. Dietary patterns were identified by cluster analysis. The total energy intake, fiber, cholesterol, macro and micronutrients were calculated. Two dietary patterns were identified in 123 patients. Pattern I was characterized by a greater consumption of whole carbohydrates, beans, meats, vegetables, and fruits. Pattern II was rich in refined carbohydrates, fried foods, and sweets. Participants in pattern I had lower values of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) with 77.1 +/- 9.9 mmHg (p= 0.002) and glycated hemoglobin (HbAlc) of 7.83 +/- 1.76 % (p= 0.029) compared to pattern II with 84.1 +/- 14.3 mmHg and 9.02 +/- 2.29 %, respectively. Therefore, pattern I had a healthier nutritional composition, however, nutritional adequacy was still lacking. Despite this, participants in pattern I had significantly lower values of DBP and HbA1c, in addition to being associated with a better control of DBP.