Material and methods. The study was performed at a primary healthcare centre in 2019. The inclusion criteria for participants were patient’s age and gender (40–55 years for men and 50–65 years for women). In total, 108 patients participated in the study (response rate was 75.0%). The patients were divided in two groups: 1) patients who participated in a cardiovascular disease prevention programme, n = 60; and 2) patients who participated in a cardiovascular disease prevention programme and a cardiovascular disease prevention programme provided by the Public Health Bureau, n = 48. The questionnaire was developed by the authors. The Centre of Bioethics at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences approved the study protocol, no. BEC-SL(M)-227.

Results. Patients who participated in the cardiovascular disease prevention programme provided by the Public Health Bureau changed their eating habits significantly in relation to those who participated in the cardiovascular disease prevention programme provided by primary healthcare specialists. Differences between the two groups of the participants were determined as follows: eating more vegetables (79.2% and 6.7%, respectively, P < 0.001), consumption of less sweets (72.9% and 31.7%, respectively, P < 0.001) and less salt (79.2% and 36.7%, respectively, P < 0.001), less fat food (89.6% and 46.7%, respectively, P < 0.001), and less pork meat (89.6% and 31.7%, respectively, P < 0.001). More patients from the Public Health Bureau programme, compared with those from the cardiovascular disease prevention programme provided by primary healthcare specialists, started exercising (35.4% and 6.7%, respectively, P < 0.001) and became more physically active than earlier (39.6% and 5.0%, respectively, P < 0.001). The Public Health Bureau cardiovascular disease prevention programme stimulated patients to better balance their work and rest (45.8% and 16.7%, respectively, P < 0.001), spend more time for relaxation (50.0% and 21.7%, respectively, P = 0.001) and for leisure activities (50.0% and 23.3%, respectively, P = 0.003), and manage stress (50.0% and 25.0%, respectively, P = 0.007).

Conclusions. Cardiovascular diseases prevention programmes are helpful in changing lifestyle and nutritional habits through healthier food, higher physical activity, adequate work and rest balance, and decreased smoking and alcohol use.