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Prevention of Non Communicable Diseases

Effect of diabetes nutrition education on the dietary feeding practices and lifestyle of type 2 diabetic patients

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 76, pages 270–276 (2022)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most common global diseases of public concern. In developing countries like Uganda, dietary habits and sedentary lifestyle are the major factors for rapidly rising incidence of DM. Therefore, awareness about diabetes dietary practices and life style are paramount in the control of the disease.

Methodology

One hundred type 2 diabetic patients were randomly selected and divided into two groups of intervention and control (50 patients in each group) to participate in the study. The intervention consisted of two educational sessions each for 30 min with various learning segments. A conversation map for type 2 diabetes, 24-h dietary recall and glycemic load tables were used. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire before intervention and on monthly basis for a period of four months of intervention. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS software version 21.

Results

There was a significant (p < 0.001) increase in water, vegetables, fruits, and number of meals intake per day coupled with quitting alcohol, soda, and beer among the intervention group. On the other hand, it was revealed that meat and milk consumption significantly reduced by 81.6 and 82.4% respectively among the intervention group. At the end of study period, milk, meat, vegetable, beer, soda, cigarettes intake, and duration of physical activity increased among the control group.

Conclusions

Nutrition education improves dietary feeding practices and lifestyle among type 2 diabetes patients within four months of intervention.

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Acknowledgements

The authors extend their heartfelt appreciation to the diabetes patients who visited Endocrine unit of Mulago hospital for their participation in this study and the staff for their support.

Author contributions

All authors equally contributed to the conception and design of the research; RM contributed to the design of the research, acquisition and analysis of the data and drafted manuscript. All authors contributed to the interpretation of data, critically revised the manuscript, agreed to be fully accountable for ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the work, and read and approved the final manuscript.

Funding

The study was funded by the Carnegie corporation of New York.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bio-engineering, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

    Robert Mutagwanya & Christine Magala Nyago

  2. Endocrine unit of Mulago hospital, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

    Frederick Nelson Nakwagala

Authors
  1. Robert Mutagwanya
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Correspondence to Robert Mutagwanya.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethical approval

The research was approved by the Research and Ethics committee of Mulago Hospital and Institutional Review Board of Mulago hospital (Protocol MREC 113). Written and oral informed consent was obtained from all study participants.

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Mutagwanya, R., Nyago, C.M. & Nakwagala, F.N. Effect of diabetes nutrition education on the dietary feeding practices and lifestyle of type 2 diabetic patients. Eur J Clin Nutr 76, 270–276 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-021-00940-3

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