Healthy dietary changes -- in addition to exercise -- are much more successful than exercise alone in boosting aerobic fitness and decreasing cardiovascular risk factors, according to a UC Davis nutritionist. In a three-month study involving 32 Air Force men and women already enrolled in a military fitness improvement program, Patricia J. Gambera, a registered dietitian and nutrition graduate student, found that participants receiving individualized dietary counseling using the Food Guide Pyramid, in addition to exercising, significantly increased their aerobic capacity and decreased their levels of cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) -- both substances which potentially cause heart disease. Those who only exercised had moderate improvement in fitness and no change in cholesterol or LDL levels. Also, the amount of total calories consumed in the form of fat dropped from 39 percent to 23 percent among participants in the treatment group. "The results of the study indicate that dietary therapy enhances the body's response to exercise training, improving the individual's aerobic capacity and reducing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease," said Gambera. She will present the findings of the study Wednesday, April 27.