Modifying Dietary Behavior in Adolescents With Elevated Blood Pressure
Condition: Hypertension; Pre-Hypertension
MeSH terms: Hypertension; Prehypertension
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to examine the long term effects of a 24-week clinically-based
      behavioral nutrition intervention emphasizing the DASH diet compared to routine nutrition
      care on changing diet quality, blood pressure, hypertension status, and vascular function in
      adolescents with elevated blood pressure.
    

Detailed description: 
      Hypertension in youth is no longer a rare disease and the number of affected children and
      adolescents is growing with the evolving pediatric epidemic in the US. Hypertension tracks
      from adolescence into adulthood and has been linked with preclinical indicators of adverse
      cardiovascular events in adults. Early prevention and intervention efforts are needed to
      address this increasing public and individual health problem. Preliminary studies from our
      research group demonstrate promising short-term effects of a behavioral nutrition
      intervention emphasizing a diet high in fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy that is also low
      in fat and sodium (the DASH diet) on lowering blood pressure (BP) in adolescents. The purpose
      of this application is to extend these findings by examining the long term effects of an
      improved 24-week clinically based behavioral nutrition intervention emphasizing the DASH diet
      (the DASH-4-Teens intervention) compared to routine nutrition care intervention on changing
      diet quality, BP, hypertension status, and vascular function in adolescents with elevated
      blood pressure. Adolescents with diagnosed pre-hypertension and stage 1 hypertension will be
      randomly assigned to receive either the DASH-4-teens intervention or routine nutrition care.
      The DASH-4- Teens intervention will include individual in-person nutrition counseling
      sessions, behavioral counseling telephone calls, and mailings. Routine nutrition care will
      include individual in-person counseling sessions on guidelines consistent with the Fourth
      Pediatric Report of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program. Primary outcomes will
      be measured in both conditions at 6 months (post-treatment) and at 1 year follow-up.
      Adherence to treatment will be measured as diet-related goals met, counseling session
      attendance, and telephone call and food monitoring completion. Findings are expected to
      improve the treatment of hypertensive adolescents in the clinical setting and contribute to
      the enhancement of the cardiovascular health of this population.
    

Intervention name(s): DASH-4-Teens; Routine Care
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Other
Intervention description(s): 24-week behavioral nutrition intervention emphasizing a diet high in fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy foods and that is low in fat and sodium; individual in-person counseling sessions on guidelines consistent with the Fourth Pediatric Report of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: Single (Investigator)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: hypertension; pre-hypertension; adolescents; diet; vascular function