Effect of nutrition education on dietary diversity score of type 2 diabetes patients

Abstract

Background: Consumption of a varied diet reduces the risk of developing a deficiency or excess of any one nutrient. One of the three corner stones of diabetes management is diet and therefore, dietary diversity is key among diabetes patients. Objective: The objective of this study was to establish the impact of nutrition education on the dietary diversity scores (DDS) among type 2 diabetes patients. Methods: Kant et al method was used for scoring dietary diversity. Data were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 21). Pair sample t-test was used to compare total DDS after and before nutrition education. P< 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.Subjects: 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. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire before and after intervention every after one month for a period of four months of intervention.Results: The average age of patients who participated in the study was 48 (40–51) years. Most of the patients were females (65.39%), compared to males (34.01%). At the end of the study period of four months, DDS in the control group decreased from 40.08% to 38.49% (p=0.064) while in the intervention group, DDS increased from 35.30 % to 54.20% (p<0.001). Conclusion: Dietary diversity increased after nutrition education among type 2 diabetes patients.Trial registration: The study was registered and approved on 17th April 2013 by the Research and Ethics committee of Mulago Hospital and Institutional Review Board of Mulago hospital (Protocol MREC 113).