Associations between cardiac rehabilitation structure and processes and dietary habits after myocardial infarction: a nationwide registry study

Improved dietary habits are important for successful secondary prevention after myocardial infarction (MI), with counselling and support on healthy dietary habits constituting a cornerstone of cardiac rehabilitation (CR). However, there is limited knowledge on how to optimize CR organization to motivate patients to adopt healthy dietary habits. We aimed to explore associations between CR programme structure, processes, and self-reported dietary habits 1 year post-MI.

Organizational data from 73 Swedish CR centres and patient-level data from 5248 CR patients were analysed using orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis to identify predictors for healthy dietary habits. Variables of importance for the projection (VIP) values exceeding 0.80 were considered meaningful. Key predictors included the CR centre having a medical director [VIP (95% confidence interval)] [1.86 (1.1–2.62)], high self-reported team spirit [1.63 (1.29–1.97)], nurses have formal training in counselling methods [1.20 (0.75–1.65)], providing discharge information on risk factors [2.23 (1.82–2.64)] and lifestyle [1.81 (1.31–2.31)], time dedicated to patient interaction during follow-up [1.60 (0.80–2.40)], and centres aiming for patients to have the same nurse throughout follow-up [1.54 (1.17–1.91)]. The more positive predictors a CR centre reported to follow, the further improvement in patient-level dietary habits, were analysed by multivariable regression analysis [odds ratio for each additional positive predictor reported 1.03 (1.02–1.05), P < 0.001].

Several variables related to CR structure and processes were identified as predictors for patients reporting healthier dietary habits. These findings offer guidance for CR centres in resource allocation and optimizing patient benefits of CR attendance.