Effect of the DASH diet on the control of arterial hypertension in university teachers

Abstract

The research sought to determine the efficacy of the DASH diet in the control of arterial hypertension in university teachers. The study was applied with a quasi-experimental design. The sampling technique was non-probabilistic and non-randomized by convenience; 60 teachers with elevated arterial hypertension, stage 1, stage 2 and stage 3 were included, of which 30 were part of the experimental group and 30 of the control group, after accepting and signing the informed consent form. The impact of the intervention was evaluated based on the efficacy of the Dash Diet, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and by the values of triglycerides, cholesterol, bilirubin and creatinine, in relation to baseline, at three and six months parallel to the dietary intervention. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to calculate Student’s t test for paired groups. The results showed the efficacy of the DASH diet in the control of arterial hypertension with reduction of triglycerides by 30%, cholesterol (27%) and reduction of blood pressure level, in all levels found in 33%, after the dietary intervention (p < 0.05). Both triglyceride, cholesterol and blood pressure values showed statistically significant differences in their decrease with respect to the initial measurements, with a difference in blood pressure between 120-129/ 80 mm Hg at the end of the study (p < 0.05). The study concludes that the Dash Diet is effective in controlling blood pressure and lowering triglyceride and cholesterol levels in hypertensive university teachers.