Promotion of optimized food-based recommendations to improve dietary practices and nutrient intakes among Minangkabau women of reproductive age with dyslipidemia.

Background And Objectives: Using a linear programming approach, an optimized food-based recommendations (FBRs) had been formulated for Minangkabau women of reproductive age with dyslipidemia in Indonesia. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the promotion of the FBRs for improving dietary practices and nutrient intakes.

Methods And Study Design: A community-based, clustered-randomized trial was conducted among Minangkabau women of reproductive age (20-44 years) with dyslipidemia. The subjects were assigned either into the FBR group (n=48), or the non-FBR group (n=54). Baseline and end-line dietary data were assessed through interviews using a one-week semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQ-FFQ) and two replicate 24-hour dietary recalls. The changes in dietary practice and nutrient intakes were analysed using ANCOVA test.

Results: Significant changes were observed (p<0.005) in the consumption of the promoted food items and subgroups (sea fish, soy protein, dark green leafy vegetables, and potatoes). Significant changes were also observed in nutrient intake, especially energy intake from carbohydrates and unsaturated fatty acids (total PUFA, MUFA, n-3 and n-6 fatty acids), as well as the dietary P/S ratio and fiber intake.

Conclusions: With current dietary practices, intakes of some typical problem nutrients such as n-6, zinc, iron, and fiber still could not achieve 100% of the RNIs, while the intake of SFA still exceeded the recommended intake. Further approaches are needed to expand the population food basket and promote behavioral change to address established cultural food habits, including reducing the use of cooking oil in food preparation and increasing vegetable consumption.