A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Different Intensity of Dietary Counselling on Cardiometabolic Health in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Dietary counselling has been identified as one of the nutritional strategies to alleviate cardiometabolic health conditions. Its effectiveness however may vary due to factors such as intensity level and provider while this has not been comprehensively studied. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the effects of dietary counselling on the cardiometabolic health in middle-aged and older adults and the sub-group analyses with dietary counselling intensity and the provider were also assessed. Four databases including PubMed, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Cochrane Library and EMBASE were systematically searched. Data from 22 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were compiled and those from 9 RCTs were utilised for meta-analysis. Dietary counselling lowered total cholesterol (TC) and fasting blood sugar (FBS) but had no impact on triglycerides (TG) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Sub-group analysis revealed significant lowering effect of high intensity dietary counselling for TG (weighted mean difference (WMD): -0.24 mmol/L, 95% confidence intervals (CIs): -0.40 to -0.09), TC (WMD: -0.31 mmol/L, 95% CIs: -0.49 to -0.13), LDL (WMD: -0.39 mmol/L, 95% CIs: -0.61 to -0.16) and FBS (WMD: -0.69 mmol/L, 95% CIs: -0.99 to -0.40) while medium or low intensity dietary counselling did not show favouring effects. Counselling provider showed differential responses on cardiometabolic health between dietitian and all other groups. The findings from this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that dietary counselling is a beneficial dietary strategy to improve cardiometabolic health in middle-aged and older adults with the emphasis on the counselling intensity.