For better health
For better health
In the Netherlands, approximately 1.6 million people suffer from cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Nutrition and lifestyle play an important role in prevention and during treatment of CVD. With the 'Voed Je Beter' project, we aim to improve nutritional care for people with cardiovascular disease through research, implementation of nutritional knowledge in clinical care and in the nutritional education of healthcare professionals.
Voed Je Beter – Cardiovascular Disease Study - PhD candidate Ilse Evers (Nutrition and Healthcare Alliance/ Wageningen University & Research (WUR)) investigates in this multicentre randomized controlled trial (RCT) whether the 'Voed je Beter' intervention improves health of cardiovascular patients on top of medical treatment, compared to usual clinical care. She collaborates with internists and cardiologists from Rijnstate Hospital and Gelderse Vallei Hospital. Primary care dietitians work with the patient to formulate small nutritional behavior changes that are feasible and sustainable (small-change approach). In addition to outcome measures such as the 10-year risk of recurrence of a vascular event, blood pressure and cholesterol, the quality of life and the effect on other lifestyle factors are examined. This research is made possible by the Ministry of VWS and Regio Deal Foodvalley. Read more >>>
Voed Je Beter – implementation study - Implementation of Eetscore at the Outpatient Clinic Cardiovascular Disease - With this study, research dietician Tessa de Smit improves the nutritional advice for patients at the cardiology outpatient clinic of the Gelderse Vallei Hospital. With the innovative Eetscore tool (Eating Score) (Slotegraaf, poster evaluation ICDAM, 2021; poster implementation ICDAM, 2021), the quality of the eating pattern is being monitored and the patient receives personalized tips for eating more healthy. The research is partly enabled by Regio Deal Foodvalley. As part of this study, Tessa indicates the nutritional care needs of the patients.
Voed Je Beter– Health Care Path Cardiovascular Risk Management (CVRM study) - PhD candidate Ilse Evers (WUR) aims to gain insight into how the current conversations about lifestyle in primary and secondary care is experienced by cardiovascular patients. She does this in collaboration with the Prevention Coalition in Region Foodvalley. Through focus groups and interviews, the contact between patients and professionals is examined. She also evaluates the mutual cooperation around lifestyle between care providers. The project is a collaboration of Gelderse Vallei Hospital, General practitioners of Gelderse Vallei, Christelijke Hogeschool Ede and the chair group Strategic Communication of WUR. Check out the poster on the lifestyle conversation, in which promoting and hindering factors and practical tips are presented. This research is partly enabled by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.
Alpha Omega cohort - PhD candidate Esther Cruijsen (WUR) conducts observational research. A good eating pattern plays a pivotal role in preventing recurring CVD in heart patients, according to her research (publication on CVD risk and potato consumption in Frontiers in Nutrition, 2022; publication on CVD risk and alcohol in Am. J. of Clinical Nutrition, 2021; publication on CVD risk and dairy consumption in Am. J. of Clinical Nutrition, 2021). Esther used data from WUR's Alpha Omega cohort, which was designed and led by prof. dr. Marianne Geleijnse. In this cohort, 4800 myocardial infarction patients were included in a three-year randomized controlled intervention study on omega-3 supplements. Since the completion of the intervention in 2009, the data are being supplemented with data on mortality. Using the Alpha Omega cohort, the role of risk factors (e.g. nutrition, lifestyle) is also being investigated for type 2 diabetes, kidney function, liver function and mortality. Please read here the publication on magnesium intake and the mortality risk after a heart attack (Evers, Front. Cardiovasc. Med., 2022). This research is partly enabled by Regio Deal Foodvalley.
Combining UCC-SMART & Alpha Omega cohort – UMC Utrecht (UMCU) and WUR are working together in the Regio Deal Foodvalley to strengthen the observational research as described before. Led by prof. Marianne Geleijnse (WUR) and prof. dr. Frank Visseren (UMCU), the cohorts Alpha Omega (from WUR) and UCC-SMART (from UMCU) are merged. This combines data on lifestyle, mortality and disease of more than 19,000 patients with (a risk of) cardiovascular disease and diabetes, so that new research questions can be answered. PhD candidates Esther Cruijsen (WUR), Nadia Bonekamp (UMCU) and Lukas Hoes (UMCU) are now working with this combined dataset. Nadia aims to provide both patients as well as healthcare providers more insight into a healthy lifestyle for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. She does this by increasing knowledge on this theme and by translating knowledge into daily healthcare practice (Bonekamp, BMJ Journals Heart, 2022). Read more (in Dutch) >>>
Gerda Pot, program coordinator Nutrition and Healthcare Alliance (NHCA)
Among others: professor Marianne Geleijnse (WUR), internist-vascular physician Remy Bemelmans (GVH), internist-vascular physician Marcel Hovens (Rijnstate), internist Rik Heijligenberg (GVH), professor Frank Visseren (UMCU), project employee Anne Slotegraaf (NHCA), assistant professor Bob Mulder (WUR), PhD candidate Ilse Evers (WUR), PhD candidate Esther Cruijsen (WUR), dietician Tessa de Smit (ZGV), cardiologist Tom van Loenhout (GVH /Rijnstate and chair NHCA), PhD candidate Nadia Bonekamp (UMCU), PhD candidate Lukas Hoes (UCMU), project officer Bo Saals (NHCA, post-doc researcher Lotte Koopal (UMCU), Renate Winkels, assistant professor (WUR and board member NHCA)
