Nutritional Interventions in Cardiac Rehabilitation: Current Evidence, Evidence Gaps, and Future Directions—A Scoping Review

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ID: 321946
2026
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Nutritional counseling is a core component of cardiac rehabilitation (CR), yet the evidence base for specific dietary interventions within CR remains fragmented. This scoping review aimed to map the range of nutritional interventions evaluated in adult CR programs, characterize their reported outcomes, and identify key gaps in current evidence and practice. METHODS: Following the Arksey and O'Malley framework and reported according to PRISMA-ScR, a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library was conducted from inception to June 2026. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials, non-randomized trials, and observational studies evaluating an explicitly described nutritional intervention within a structured CR program in adults with established cardiovascular disease. RESULTS: Of 2,765 identified records, 35 studies met eligibility criteria. Interventions spanned Mediterranean and heart-healthy dietary patterns, calorie-restriction and weight-loss programs, comprehensive lifestyle interventions, structured nutrition education and counseling, supplementation, functional foods, and individualized diet prescriptions. Across categories, improvements in body weight, central adiposity, and adherence to cardioprotective dietary recommendations were commonly reported, particularly when nutrition was delivered with repeated contact and individualized support. Effects on lipid profiles, inflammatory markers, blood pressure, functional capacity, and clinical outcomes were more variable. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional interventions within CR were most consistently associated with improvements in intermediate behavioral, anthropometric, and cardiometabolic outcomes, particularly when structured and reinforced over time. However, heterogeneity in study design, intervention delivery, comparator groups, outcome reporting, and follow-up duration precludes definitive conclusions about comparative efficacy, optimal intervention format, or the magnitude of benefit. Greater standardization, longer follow-up, and further evaluation of personalized nutritional strategies are needed to strengthen the nutritional component of CR.
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Authors Aya Elalfy, Mahmoud Abdelnabi, Ahmed Elmorsy Mohamed, Hunter VanDolah, Rana S. Sayed, Zeyad Kholeif, Rana Rashwan, Ramzi Ibrahim, Francesco Perone, Randal J. Thomas, Chadi Ayoub, R A Arsanjani
Journal european journal of preventive cardiology
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/eurjpc/zwag375
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwag375
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