Relationship between Food Consumption and its Influencing Factors among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Given the global prevalence of type 2 diabetes and the importance of self-care and awareness of individuals about diabetes, this study was conducted to investigate the dominant dietary pattern among patients with type 2 diabetes and identify the factors involved in exacerbating the disease. The relationship between food consumption and three levels of education in patients was examined as a relevant criterion to discover the nutritional literacy of patients.

This analytical cross-sectional study was performed on type 2 diabetic patients referring to Shahid Beheshti Hospital. Qom, Iran, in 2019. The necessary data were collected using the Food Frequency Questionnaire. The gathered data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 22) using t-test and ANOVA to compare the mean consumption of food groups among patients with type 2 diabetes according to their gender and level of education.

The results of the current study showed that there were significant differences in the consumption of foods, such as legumes and cabbage family vegetables, among male and female patients with type 2 diabetes. Regarding this, the consumption of this group of foods was higher than the other food groups. Moreover, the education level of patients with type 2 diabetes showed significant differences with the consumption of such foods as refined grains, whole grains, fruits, cabbage family vegetables, yellow vegetables, other vegetables, fish, eggs, coffee, high-fat dairy products, olives, and soft drinks (P<0.01).

The consumption of health-oriented foods was higher in patients with type 2 diabetes having a higher education level. This finding indicated that such individuals were more aware of the benefits of these foods than those with a lower education level. Based on the results, it can be concluded that changing lifestyle, such as losing weight, using healthy eating patterns, performing proper physical activity, plays an effective role in the management of type 2 diabetes.