Impact of Dietary Modification Alone in Controlling Impaired Glucose Intolerance

Abstract

The purpose of the literature review is to determine the extent impaired glucose tolerance is controlled by dietary modification alone. The review analyzes the role dietary intervention contributes to preventing the progression of prediabetes to diabetes. Diabetes mellitus describes the diseases of abnormal carbohydrate metabolism that are characterized by hyperglycemia. It is associated with a relative or absolute impairment in insulin secretion, and varying degrees of peripheral resistance to the action of insulin. Clinical practice guidelines describe prediabetes as fasting plasma glucose of 6.1-6.9 mmol/L and HbA1C 6.0-6.4%. Impaired glucose intolerance is a serious health condition and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is a rising threat in our society as the incidence and prevalence has been on the increase among different age population. Articles were identified by searching specified keywords such as prediabetes, dietary modification, and impaired glucose tolerance in three electronic databases (PubMed, GoogleScholar) from 2000 to 2022. About 7 articles fit the inclusion criteria carried out in USA, Serbia, Spain, Japan, Norway, New Zealand, and Germany. The result showed that subjects on low caloric diet and high protein diet experienced a reduction in body weight, waist circumference and BMI. Other studies showed an improvement in impaired glucose within a year, less so in subsequent years as well as remission of prediabetes. However, the findings are varied as the study covers various age groups ranging from 20 years to an average of 59 years for both male and female but does not take into consideration people with pre-existing medical condition like cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and heart failure. The associated risks of complications is high so all efforts are being made to prevent further progression. More evidence is needed on this study as current evidence is limited.