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Review
. 2021 Oct 15;18(4):459-464.
doi: 10.1177/15598276211049320. eCollection 2024 Jul-Aug.

Effectiveness of the Complete Health Improvement Program in a Geriatric Population

Emily Scriven  1 , Bhakti Chavan  1 , David Drozek  1
Affiliations
Review

Effectiveness of the Complete Health Improvement Program in a Geriatric Population

Emily Scriven et al. Am J Lifestyle Med. .

Abstract

The Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP) is an intensive therapeutic lifestyle modification program (ITLMP) with well-documented success in decreasing risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Plant-based diets and physical activity are components of the program that contribute to these improvements. Yet, there are few studies on how ITLMPs affect risk factors specifically for the geriatric population. The goal of this study was to examine results of CHIP participants with a focus on the older (greater than 65 years) population in Athens, Ohio. Retrospective data from 2011 to 2017 were analyzed for 26 CHIP classes. Recorded variables included body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), blood glucose (BG), and exercise level. Among geriatric participants, significant changes were found in BMI, BP, TC, LDL, HDL, BG, and exercise level (P < .001). As compared to the younger population, changes in variables were equivalent in the geriatric population in all variables (P > .05). These improvements in CVD risk factors among the elderly support the hypothesis that CHIP should be considered for CVD prevention and treatment in the geriatric population.

Keywords: Appalachia; chronic disease; exercise; geriatric; lifestyle modification; plant-based diet; vegetarian.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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