Summary of Recommendations
Table 1. Recommendations for Lifestyle Management (continued)
Recommendations
ACC/AHA
COR
ACC/AHA
LOE
BP - Advise adults who would benefit from BP lowering to:
• Consume a diet that emphasizes intake of vegetables, fruits,
and whole grains; includes low-fat dairy products, poultry,
fish, legumes, nontropical vegetable oils and nuts; and limits
intake of sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, and red meats.
▶ Adapt this dietary pattern to appropriate calorie
requirements, personal and cultural food preferences,
and nutrition therapy for other medical conditions
(including diabetes).
▶ Achieve this pattern by following plans such as the
DASH dietary pattern, the USDA Food Pattern, or the
AHA Diet. (See Table 3)
I A
• Lower sodium intake. I A
▶ Consume no more than 2,400 mg of sodium/day;
▶ Further reduction of sodium intake to 1,500 mg/day can
result in even greater reduction in BP; and
▶ Even without achieving these goals, reducing sodium
intake by at least 1,000 mg/day lowers BP.
IIa B
• Combine the DASH dietary pattern with lower sodium
intake.
I A
Physical Activity
Lipids
• In general, advise adults to engage in aerobic physical
activity to reduce LDL-C and non–HDL-C: 3-4 sessions
a week, lasting on average 40 minutes per session, and
involving moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity.
IIa A
BP
• In general, advise adults to engage in aerobic physical
activity to lower BP: 3-4 sessions a week, lasting on average
40 minutes per session and involving moderate-to-vigorous
intensity physical activity.
IIa A
a
For guidance on who would benefit from LDL-C lowering, refer to: Stone NJ, Robinson JG, Lichtenstein
AH, et al. 2013 ACC/AHA guideline on the treatment of blood cholesterol to reduce atherosclerotic
cardiovascular risk in adults: a report of the American College of Cardiolog y/American Heart Association
Task Force on Practice Guidelines. [Epub ahead of print] J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013 Nov 12. doi:10.1016/j.
jacc.2013.11.002. Copublished in Circulation. 2013 Nov 12. [Epub ahead of print] doi:10.1161/01.
cir.0000437738.63853.7a
