Effectiveness of a nutrition education and physical fitness training program in lowering lipid levels in the black elderly.

A multidisciplinary nutrition education and fitness training program was tested for its effectiveness in lowering lipid profiles of elderly clients through dietary modification and exercise. The program served 31 free-living, predominantly female, black elderly aged 56-88 years. Dietary, anthropometric, biochemical, and fitness assessments were performed before and after the 10-week, biweekly program. Significant decreases (p < 0.05) were seen in waist circumference, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoproteins (LDL-C), and TC/HDL-C ratio. These findings suggest a 10-week, biweekly program can be effective in producing both significant, as well as favorable changes, in atherogenic lipids in elderly black subjects.