Assessing Dietary Diversity Score as a Predictor of Blood Glucose Levels and Nutritional Status among Diabetic Patients

Abstract

Variety of food consumption is one indicator of the quality diet to achieve optimal blood sugar management, and nutritional status and prevent potential complications. Low dietary diversity scores may contribute to glycemic control and nutritional status among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed to explore the correlation between dietary diversity score (DDS), fasting blood glucose, and nutritional status among T2DM patients. This cross-sectional study included 28 diabetic people. Dietary intake was assessed using the 24-hour recall. DDS was calculated based on the method using nine food groups: bread/grains, vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs, and dairy. Anthropometric measures, including weight and height, were examined then calculate BMI. Secondary data collection on fasting blood glucose used participant’s medical record data. Data analyses, descriptive statistics, and bivariate tests were conducted using SPSS Statistics. A total of 28 participants (78.6% female), with mean±SD age of 56.8610.91 years, BMI of 24.976.28 and fasting blood glucose of 225.2595.61were studied. The mean DDS was 4.821.42. Among the nine food groups, dairy, and organs were the least-frequently consumed foods. There was no correlation significant between DDS and fasting blood glucose also BMI (p<0.000). Higher DDS was negatively associated with fasting blood glucose and a more diversified diet may be a risk factor for obesity among T2DM.