摘要：Cardiovascular diseases are getting epidemic due to social reconstruction, technology advancement and over population in urban areas, inappropriate food habits and immobility. This study has tried to define the indexes of healthy nutrition in cardiac patients hospitalized in cardiac ward of Alzahra hospital and to compare it with Healthy Eating Index (HEI). Healthy Eating Index has been also designed to evaluate diet quality in different societies. This is a descriptive analytical study conducted cross-sectionally in cardiac patients hospitalized in cardiac ward of Alzahra hospital in Isfahan, Iran. Nutritional status was investigated by completing the last three days dietary Recalls. Nutritional index was calculated based on food pyramid guidelines, fat calorie percentage from total calorie, intake of saturated fats percentage and cholesterol, calcium, Iron and food variation. The range of this index was from 0-10 so the total score was 100. Calculation of this index was made with respect to the data of nutrition intakes compared to healthy food index. The score of food variation was defined by routine food intake in the society. The score of nutrition index was categorized into three groups of lower than 50 (weak), 51-80 (needs a change and improvement) and over 81 (good). Mean comparison test was used to compare healthy food index with nutrients intake and the number of servings of food pyramid guidelines. Mean age of cardiac patients was 65.5±7.9 and the nutrition index score were 36.3 in males and 35.7 in females. The intake servings from food pyramid in patients with good index score was significantly higher compared to other groups (p<0.001). Bread and cereal intake were as 8.6±1.8 serving, Vegetables 5±1.8, fruits 1.9±1 diary and milk product 1.4±0.5 and meat 1.6±1.1. There was an association between lipid intake and saturated fat percentage (p<0.001). Mean intake of fruit, milk and meat was less than HEI and for cholesterol, vegetables and salt, it was higher than HEI (p<0.5). Mean intake of cereal and saturated fats, were similar to HEI (p>0.5). Pearson correlation test showed that there was no significant association between age and nutrition variation, calcium, vegetables and bread (p>0.5). Level of education had a significant direct association with food variation, Iron, meat and fruit intake (p<0.5) but not with other items (p<0.5). 73.2% of diet should be changed and improved while in 3.3% it was good. 23.5% followed weak food pattern. Healthy food index is an appropriate tool to evaluate nutrition quality of cardiac patients. The diet in most of the cardiac patients needs improvement and changes in appropriate food education is essential.
