A systematic review of the effect of dietary interventions on cardiovascular disease risk in adults with spinal cord injury

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2021 · DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2019.1592926 · Published: January 1, 2021

Spinal Cord Injury Cardiovascular Science Nutrition & Dietetics

Simple Explanation

This review examines the impact of dietary changes on heart disease risk factors in adults with spinal cord injury (SCI). Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death in this population, making targeted interventions crucial. The review found that while diet can potentially reduce heart disease risk in SCI, there's a lack of high-quality research in this area. The studies included varied significantly in their approaches and had methodological flaws. More well-designed research is needed to understand how diet can effectively lower heart disease risk in individuals with SCI. This includes using robust data collection and actionable strategies.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

368 adults with spinal cord injury

Evidence Level

Systematic Review

Key Findings

1
Dietary interventions, especially when combined with exercise, showed potential in improving cardiovascular disease risk markers in individuals with SCI.
2
The quality of evidence for the effectiveness of dietary interventions on cardiovascular disease risk in SCI is generally low to very low.
3
Nutrition education was a key element in most studies, but details on the type of education and incorporation of adult learning principles were lacking.

Research Summary

This systematic review assessed the effect of dietary interventions on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in adults with spinal cord injury (SCI). Eight studies were included, revealing variations in dietary strategies and outcome measures. The review found a dearth of research in SCI despite evidence of diet's benefits on CVD risk reduction. The potential of diet with exercise in minimizing CVD risk in SCI was emphasized. Further research is needed with robust data collection, actionable strategies, and knowledge translation techniques to ascertain the effects of dietary intervention in lowering CVD risk in SCI.

Practical Implications

Need for Targeted Research

There is a significant need for more well-designed research focusing on dietary interventions to reduce CVD risk in individuals with SCI.

Development of Guidelines

The findings call for the development of universal guidelines on nutrition in CVD prevention specifically tailored for the SCI population.

Comprehensive Dietary Assessment

Future studies should incorporate comprehensive dietary assessments, evaluating overall diet quality and dietary behaviors.

Study Limitations

1
Limited to English language and published data only, contributing to publication bias.
2
Potential exclusion of articles with non-CVD risk outcomes due to the search strategy.
3
Data extraction, grading of evidence, and risk of bias assessment were completed by a single reviewer, potentially introducing bias.

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Spinal Cord Injury