The Impact of Nutrition Education on Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetic Outpatients: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Introduction: It is widely accepted that glycemic control, diet, and weight management are core aspects in the management of T2DM. National diabetes education program shows it is possible to lose weight and have lower blood sugar levels. However, the impact of nutritional education on glycemic control in outpatients has not been well documented. The purpose of this study is to find out the effect of nutrition education on achieving optimal glycemic control in T2D outpatients as reflected by changes in HbA1c level. Methods: The study was retrospective and done for T2D outpatients at the visiting diabetic care center. Patients who received nutrition education were compared with those who did not receive it. Baseline and post-intervention characteristics including demographics, glycemic control, HbA1c level, and body mass index (BMI) were analyzed. Differences in glycemic control were assessed using paired and independent t-tests. Results: The sample size was 968 patients, out of which 333 patients were given nutrition education. There was a clear reduction in HbA1c from both groups, even though the reduction was greater in the T2DM group who received nutrition education (HbA1c: 8.10 ± 1.75 vs. p > 0.01 for 7.78 ± 1.54. There was a small elevation of the knee-normalized BMI of both groups but with a little more increase in the education group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that nutrition education significantly improves glycemic control among T2D outpatients, leading to a notable reduction in HbA1c levels. These findings emphasize the importance of incorporating personalized nutrition programs into diabetes management.

Keywords: Type 2 diabetes, glycemic control, nutritional education, HbA1c, dietitian intervention, outpatient care.

DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/119-04

Publication date: January 30th 2025