The Costs and Effects of a Nutritional Education Program Following Work-Site Cholesterol Screening.

NUTRITION; HEALTH education; DIET; CHOLESTEROL; MEDICAL screening; HEART disease risk factors

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to assess the costs and impact of a nutrition education program following a cholesterol screening. Methods. Forty worksites were randomly assigned to one of two educational interventions: a "usual" intervention of 5 minutes of counseling, or a "special" intervention of 2 hours of behaviorally based education on dietary changes to lower serum cholesterol. costs were monitored, and cholesterol levels were retested 6 and 12 months later. Results. The total per-person cost for screening and the educational intervention was about $50. Cholesterol levels differed little between the two intervention groups 6 months after screening, but after 12 months those in the special intervention work sites showed a 6.5% drop in cholesterol, whereas those at the usual intervention worksites showed a drop of only 3.0%. Hence a 3.5% cholesterol reduction was attributable to the special intervention. Conclusions. A behaviorally based nutrition education program following cholesterol screening can have a meaningful impact on long-term cholesterol levels at a low cost. Nutrition education in work-sites may therefore be a useful way to lower to risk of heart disease in communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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