A heart-smart diet plan is a physician-recommended diet plan for hypertensive patients which includes high-fiber foods, lean proteins, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, and heart-healthy fats. It discourages the intake of saturated fat, sodium, and foods high in sugar. The present study was conducted on “a study on knowledge of heart-smart diet before and after administration of information guide sheet among hypertensive clients in selected urban areas.” Modified Pender’s health promotion model was used for this study. A quasi-experimental, nonequivalent pretest and posttest control group design was employed for the study. A total of 60 participants were selected using a non-probability convenience sampling technique, with 30 individuals assigned to the experimental group and 30 to the control group. Baseline data were collected from both groups through a structured questionnaire administered as a pretest. Following this, the experimental group received an information guide sheet on the same day, while the control group did not receive any intervention. After a specified period, a posttest was conducted for both groups using the same questionnaire. The data collected were then analyzed using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The paired “t” value for knowledge was 22.17, which was significant at the 0.05 level. The independent “t” value for knowledge was 15.6, which was significant at the 0.05 level. Association between posttest levels revealed that demographic variables, such as age, gender, religion, occupation, monthly income, type of family, food habits, history of taking medicine, suffering years, information about the heart-smart diet, and information from whom had no association with knowledge except education (χ² = 21.60) among people with hypertension in the experimental group. So, the information guide sheet on the heart-smart diet was an effective method to increase the level of knowledge among people with hypertension.

Keywords : Cardiovascular, hypertensive, lifestyle modification, smart diet plan, level of knowledge

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1. Anderson J, et al. Thesis and assignment writing. 1st ed. New Delhi: Wiley Eastern Limited; 1991. p. 86–92.
2. Best JW, Khan JV. Research in education. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India Pvt Ltd; 1992. p. 56–62.
3. Charles S. Understanding research in nursing. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1975. p. 75–80.
4. Cabell W, Bailer SV. Form and style in thesis, reports and term papers. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company; 1979. p. 121–125.
5. Fox DJ. Fundamentals of research in nursing. New York: Appleton Century Crafts; 1970. p. 71–80.
6. Gupta SC, Kapoor VK. Fundamentals of mathematical statistics. Delhi: Sultan Chand and Sons; 1990. p. 69–73.
7. Garret HE, Woodworth RS. Statistics in psychology and education. Bombay: Vakil, Feffer and Simons Ltd; 1981. p. 54–59.
8. Notter LE. Essentials of nursing research. New York: McGraw Hill Publishing Company Ltd; 1971. p. 95–99.
9. Seaman CHC. Research methods: Principles, practice and theory for nursing. California: Appleton Lange; 1987. p. 113–119.
10. Polit DE, Hungler BF. Nursing research: Principles and methods. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company; 1983. p. 138–146.
11. Simon LW, Henderson V. Nursing research: Survey and assessment. New York: Appleton Century Crafts; 1964. p. 29–33.
12. Black JM, Hawks JH. Medical-surgical nursing. 7th ed. Elsevier Publications; p. 1243–1288.
13. Brunner and Suddarth’s. Textbook of medical-surgical nursing. 1st ed. Lippincott Publications; p. 973–1025.
14. Davidson’s. Principles and practice of medicine. 19th ed. Churchill Livingstone; p. 642–682.
15. Ignatavicius DD, Workman ML, Mishler MA. Medical surgical nursing. 2nd ed. W.B. Saunders Company; p. 1857–1903.
16. Swaminathan M. Handbook of food and nutrition. 5th ed. Bangalore: Bangalore Printing and Publishing Co Ltd; p. 262–266.
17. Sohi D. A textbook of nutrition. 2nd ed. S. Vikas & Co; p. 342–345.
18. John S, Jenifer DJ. Essentials of nutrition and dietetics for nursing. 1st ed. B.I. Publications; p. 240–242.
19. Abioye-Kuteyi EA, Ojofeitimi EO, Ijadunola KT, Fasanu AO. Assessment of dietary knowledge, practices and control in type 2 diabetes in a Nigerian teaching hospital. Niger J Med. 2005 Jan–Mar;14(1):58–64. doi: 4314/njm.v14i1.37137. PMID: 15832645.
20. Albarran NB, Ballesteros MN, Morales GG, Ortega MI. Dietary behavior and type 2 diabetes care. Patient Educ Couns. 2006 May;61(2):191–9. doi: 1016/j.pec.2005.03.008. PMID: 15905066.
21. Hermansen K. Diet, blood pressure and hypertension. Br J Nutr. 2000 Mar;83 Suppl 1:S113–9. doi: 1017/s0007114500001045. PMID: 10889801.
22. Mungati M, Manangazira P, Takundwa L, Gombe NT, Rusakaniko S, Tshimanga M. Factors affecting diagnosis and management of hypertension in Mazowe District of Mashonaland Central Province in Zimbabwe: 2012. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2014 Aug 19;14:102. doi: 1186/1471-2261-14-102. PMID: 25135002; PMCID: PMC4142459.
23. Marchand C, Crozet C, Martin D, Robert JJ, d'Ivernois JF, Gagnayre R. Etude par cartes conceptuelles des connaissances sur l'alimentation des enfants diabétiques et de leurs parents. Rev Med Suisse. 2007 Apr 4;3(105):868–72. PMID: 17514928.
24. Murtaugh MA, Jacobs DR Jr, Jacob B, Steffen LM, Marquart L. Epidemiological support for the protection of whole grains against diabetes. Proc Nutr Soc. 2003 Feb;62(1):143–9. doi: 1079 /pns2002223. PMID: 12740069.
25. Ozemek C, Laddu DR, Arena R, Lavie CJ. The role of diet for prevention and management of hypertension. Curr Opin Cardiol. 2018 Jul;33(4):388–393. doi: 1097/HCO.0000000000000532. PMID: 29771736.
26. Mohanam M, Sonia, Kataria N, Devnarayan, Kalyani V. Descriptive study to assess the correlation between patterns of dietary consumption with systolic and diastolic blood pressure and random blood sugar among adults with diabetes at the rural and urban communities of Uttarakhand. Cureus. 2025 Oct 31;17(10):e95815. doi: 7759/cureus.95815. PMID: 41333960; PMCID: PMC12668568.
27. Iacono JM, Dougherty RM, Puska P, Pietinen P. Dietary polyunsaturated fat and hypertension. Ann Med. 1989 Jun;21(3):251–4. doi: 3109/07853898909149948. PMID: 2765272.

A heart-smart diet plan is a physician-recommended diet plan for hypertensive patients which includes high-fiber foods, lean proteins, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, and heart-healthy fats. It discourages the intake of saturated fat, sodium, and foods high in sugar. The present study was conducted on “a study on knowledge of heart-smart diet before and after administration of information guide sheet among hypertensive clients in selected urban areas.” Modified Pender’s health promotion model was used for this study. A quasi-experimental, nonequivalent pretest and posttest control group design was employed for the study. A total of 60 participants were selected using a non-probability convenience sampling technique, with 30 individuals assigned to the experimental group and 30 to the control group. Baseline data were collected from both groups through a structured questionnaire administered as a pretest. Following this, the experimental group received an information guide sheet on the same day, while the control group did not receive any intervention. After a specified period, a posttest was conducted for both groups using the same questionnaire. The data collected were then analyzed using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The paired “t” value for knowledge was 22.17, which was significant at the 0.05 level. The independent “t” value for knowledge was 15.6, which was significant at the 0.05 level. Association between posttest levels revealed that demographic variables, such as age, gender, religion, occupation, monthly income, type of family, food habits, history of taking medicine, suffering years, information about the heart-smart diet, and information from whom had no association with knowledge except education (χ² = 21.60) among people with hypertension in the experimental group. So, the information guide sheet on the heart-smart diet was an effective method to increase the level of knowledge among people with hypertension.

Keywords : Cardiovascular, hypertensive, lifestyle modification, smart diet plan, level of knowledge

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Anderson J, et al. Thesis and assignment writing. 1st ed. New Delhi: Wiley Eastern Limited; 1991. p. 86–92.
2. Best JW, Khan JV. Research in education. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India Pvt Ltd; 1992. p. 56–62.
3. Charles S. Understanding research in nursing. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1975. p. 75–80.
4. Cabell W, Bailer SV. Form and style in thesis, reports and term papers. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company; 1979. p. 121–125.
5. Fox DJ. Fundamentals of research in nursing. New York: Appleton Century Crafts; 1970. p. 71–80.
6. Gupta SC, Kapoor VK. Fundamentals of mathematical statistics. Delhi: Sultan Chand and Sons; 1990. p. 69–73.
7. Garret HE, Woodworth RS. Statistics in psychology and education. Bombay: Vakil, Feffer and Simons Ltd; 1981. p. 54–59.
8. Notter LE. Essentials of nursing research. New York: McGraw Hill Publishing Company Ltd; 1971. p. 95–99.
9. Seaman CHC. Research methods: Principles, practice and theory for nursing. California: Appleton Lange; 1987. p. 113–119.
10. Polit DE, Hungler BF. Nursing research: Principles and methods. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company; 1983. p. 138–146.
11. Simon LW, Henderson V. Nursing research: Survey and assessment. New York: Appleton Century Crafts; 1964. p. 29–33.
12. Black JM, Hawks JH. Medical-surgical nursing. 7th ed. Elsevier Publications; p. 1243–1288.
13. Brunner and Suddarth’s. Textbook of medical-surgical nursing. 1st ed. Lippincott Publications; p. 973–1025.
14. Davidson’s. Principles and practice of medicine. 19th ed. Churchill Livingstone; p. 642–682.
15. Ignatavicius DD, Workman ML, Mishler MA. Medical surgical nursing. 2nd ed. W.B. Saunders Company; p. 1857–1903.
16. Swaminathan M. Handbook of food and nutrition. 5th ed. Bangalore: Bangalore Printing and Publishing Co Ltd; p. 262–266.
17. Sohi D. A textbook of nutrition. 2nd ed. S. Vikas & Co; p. 342–345.
18. John S, Jenifer DJ. Essentials of nutrition and dietetics for nursing. 1st ed. B.I. Publications; p. 240–242.
19. Abioye-Kuteyi EA, Ojofeitimi EO, Ijadunola KT, Fasanu AO. Assessment of dietary knowledge, practices and control in type 2 diabetes in a Nigerian teaching hospital. Niger J Med. 2005 Jan–Mar;14(1):58–64. doi: 4314/njm.v14i1.37137. PMID: 15832645.
20. Albarran NB, Ballesteros MN, Morales GG, Ortega MI. Dietary behavior and type 2 diabetes care. Patient Educ Couns. 2006 May;61(2):191–9. doi: 1016/j.pec.2005.03.008. PMID: 15905066.
21. Hermansen K. Diet, blood pressure and hypertension. Br J Nutr. 2000 Mar;83 Suppl 1:S113–9. doi: 1017/s0007114500001045. PMID: 10889801.
22. Mungati M, Manangazira P, Takundwa L, Gombe NT, Rusakaniko S, Tshimanga M. Factors affecting diagnosis and management of hypertension in Mazowe District of Mashonaland Central Province in Zimbabwe: 2012. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2014 Aug 19;14:102. doi: 1186/1471-2261-14-102. PMID: 25135002; PMCID: PMC4142459.
23. Marchand C, Crozet C, Martin D, Robert JJ, d'Ivernois JF, Gagnayre R. Etude par cartes conceptuelles des connaissances sur l'alimentation des enfants diabétiques et de leurs parents. Rev Med Suisse. 2007 Apr 4;3(105):868–72. PMID: 17514928.
24. Murtaugh MA, Jacobs DR Jr, Jacob B, Steffen LM, Marquart L. Epidemiological support for the protection of whole grains against diabetes. Proc Nutr Soc. 2003 Feb;62(1):143–9. doi: 1079 /pns2002223. PMID: 12740069.
25. Ozemek C, Laddu DR, Arena R, Lavie CJ. The role of diet for prevention and management of hypertension. Curr Opin Cardiol. 2018 Jul;33(4):388–393. doi: 1097/HCO.0000000000000532. PMID: 29771736.
26. Mohanam M, Sonia, Kataria N, Devnarayan, Kalyani V. Descriptive study to assess the correlation between patterns of dietary consumption with systolic and diastolic blood pressure and random blood sugar among adults with diabetes at the rural and urban communities of Uttarakhand. Cureus. 2025 Oct 31;17(10):e95815. doi: 7759/cureus.95815. PMID: 41333960; PMCID: PMC12668568.
27. Iacono JM, Dougherty RM, Puska P, Pietinen P. Dietary polyunsaturated fat and hypertension. Ann Med. 1989 Jun;21(3):251–4. doi: 3109/07853898909149948. PMID: 2765272.