Effect of Educational Intervention on Improving Nutritional Habits Among Patients with Type-2 Diabetes: Application of Transtheoretical Model (TTM)

Patient education is an essential component of diabetes control, and increasing the health knowledge of diabetic patients based on suitable educational theories is crucial. This study aimed to determine the effect of educational intervention using the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) on improving the nutritional habits among patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus in Maragheh city, Iran during 2017-2018.

This study was a randomized controlled trial conducted on 136 diabetic patients under coverage of Maragheh health centers, Maragheh city, Iran, randomly divided into two groups of intervention and control (68 participants in each group). The data collection tool was a three-part questionnaire with questions/items related to demographic characteristics and nutritional habits, as well as constructs of TTM and HbA1c based on the TTM. The educational program included four weekly sessions of 45-60 minutes each. The data were analyzed using the SPSS16 software, the statistical tests being descriptive and inferential tests such as ANCOVA; the significance level was set as a p-value < 0.05.

Before the intervention, the comparison and control groups did not differ significantly as regards demographic variables, HbA1c, TTM constructs and nutritional habits (p<0.05). After the educational intervention, the mean scores of nutritional habits, constructs of TTM and HbA1c were statistically significant in patients with type 2 diabetes (p <0.01).

The study results reveal that the application of transtheorical model can improve the nutritional habits of diabetic patients.