The impact of a community‐based food education programme on dietary pattern in patients with type 2 diabetes: Results of a pilot randomised controlled trial in Portugal

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyse the effects of a food education programme, with easy-to-implement strategies integrated in a community-based exercise programme, on dietary pattern of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Thirty-three patients (65.4 ± 5.9 years old) were engaged in a 9-month randomised controlled trial: a supervised exercise programme (control group [CON]; n = 15; combined exercise; three sessions per week; 75 min per session) or the same exercise programme plus a concomitant 16-week food education programme (experimental group [EXP]; n = 18; 15-min. group classes and dual-task strategies during exercise). Dietary pattern was assessed using a 3-day food record at baseline and at 9 months. The intake of total fat, polyunsaturated fat, and the daily servings of vegetables significantly increased in EXP compared with the CON group. Retention and adherence to the programme were 54% and 49.5 ± 27.2%, respectively. This food education programme improved dietary pattern of patients with T2D. Special attention should be given to strategies that support participants' attendance.

Benefits of adding food education sessions to an exercise programme on cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes

“…In what concerns nutritional intervention, there is a lack of easy-to-implement strategies among community settings in order to develop the capacity for self-management of diet 20 . Previous findings from our research team showed that a food education programme improved the dietary pattern of T2D patients through significant changes in polyunsaturated fat intake and servings of vegetables per day 21 .…”