Dietitian led store tours as an acceptable and effective nutrition education intervention for clients at risk of coronary heart disease

Background and aims. Nutrition education promoting a cardio-protective diet is important in the management of clients at risk of CHD. This two-part study assessed whether innovative, dietitian-led store tours were an acceptable and effective educational tool for this group. Methods In an initial pilot, thirty-eight clients with type 2 diabetes attended and evaluated a “ Heart Healthy� store tour led by a registered dietitian. In a second phase, ten hyperlipidaemic clients evaluated a similar tour. This group was followed up one month later to assess any longer lasting educational impact. Results In the pilot, 37 clients (97%) found the tour very interesting and 1 (3%) found it fairly interesting. 29 (76%) reported learning a lot of new information which they intended to use to make beneficial dietary changes and 9 (24%) reported learning something. In phase 2 all participants rated the tour as very interesting, 7 (70%) reported learning a lot and 3 (30%) reported learning something. 100% reported they intended to make positive dietary changes. Follow up evaluation returned by 9 (90%) participants indicated a range of new information retained from the tour (Table 1). 100% reported making cardio protective dietary changes, with each client listing 2-3 changes (Table 2).All clients reported it was easier to follow a varied and healthy diet since attending the tour. Conclusions Dietitian- led store tours appear to be a popular and effective nutrition education intervention for clients at risk of CHD. They were found to be an efficient use of dietetic time and their use in the dietary management of at clients should be evaluated further. This may be particularly useful where existing dietetic resources are currently stretched to meet demand