Eating Habits of People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Portugal: A Cross-Sectional Study

Authors

  • Beatriz Correia Rodriguez Faculdade de Medicina. Universidade de Coimbra.
  • Inês Rosendo Faculdade de Medicina. Universidade de Coimbra. Coimbra; Unidade de Saúde Familiar Coimbra Centro. Coimbra. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8838-6021
  • Tânia Isabel Santos Coelho Unidade de Saúde Vita Saurium. Coimbra. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4484-9909
  • Patrícia Duarte Mendes Unidade de Saúde Familiar Martingil. Leiria.
  • Gabriela dos Santos Rodrigues Unidade de Saúde Familiar Martingil. Leiria.
  • Ângela Faustino Francisco Unidade de Saúde Familiar Martingil. Leiria.
  • Ana Sofia Cerqueira Martins Unidade de Saúde Familiar Coimbra Sul. Coimbra.
  • Tânia Boto Unidade de Saúde Familiar Infante D. Henrique. Viseu.
  • Filipe Guerra Fernandes Unidade de Saúde Familiar Lusitana. Viseu.
  • Ângela Figueiredo Costa Unidade de Saúde Familiar Senhora de Vagos. Aveiro.
  • Cristina Lamarão Unidade de Sáude Pública Baixo Vouga. Aveiro.
  • Inês Miguéis Ferreira Unidade de Saúde Familiar Flor de Sal. Aveiro.
  • Joana Andrade Glória Unidade de Saúde Familiar Moliceiro. Aveiro.
  • Inês Vicente Osório Unidade de Saúde Familiar Moliceiro. Aveiro.
  • Tiago Daniel Couto Gonçalves Unidade de Saúde Familiar Esgueira Mais. Aveiro.
  • André Rosas Pereira Unidade de Saúde Familiar Cidade Jardim. Viseu.
  • Ana Salomé Almeida Guedes Unidade de Saúde Familiar Coimbra Sul. Coimbra.
  • Celine Fernandes Mendes Unidade de Cuidados de Saúde Personalizados Águeda V. Aveiro.
  • Susana Pires da Silva Unidade de Saúde Familiar D. Francisco de Almeida. Abrantes.
  • Afonso Carvalhal Unidade de Saúde Familiar Senhora de Vagos. Aveiro.
  • Patrícia Vasconcelos Costa Unidade de Saúde Familiar Marquês de Marialva. Coimbra.
  • Bruno Alves dos Reis Unidade de Cuidados de Saúde Personalizados Anadia I. Aveiro.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20344/amp.19738

Keywords:

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Eating, Feeding Behavior

Abstract

Introduction: Nutrition is a cornerstone of diabetes mellitus prevention and management; therefore, it is essential to enable patients to adopt healthy eating habits. Previous studies have not yet documented the main errors in the eating habits of Portuguese people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This study aims to identify the main errors in the eating habits of people living with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Portugal and to evaluate its associations with sociodemographic variables.
Methods: Cross-sectional multicentric study in a convenience sample of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Primary Health Care Units. The UK Diabetes and Diet Questionnaire (UKDDQ) – translated and adapted, was applied from July to October 2022. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted.
Results: Of the 550 participants, 52.2% were female, 68.3% were 65 years or over, 55.8 % had an education level up to the fourth grade, 24.7% had economic deprivation, and the mean time since diagnosis was 10.60 ± 8.13 years. Only 36.2% of the sample had a healthy UKDDQ score. Less than 50% of the sample had healthy scores for the items “high-fiber rice or pasta”, “high-fiber bread”, “butter, margarine and vegetable oils” and “vegetables and pulses”. Only 8.9% of the sample had a healthy consumption of fiber. About 70.4% reported healthy scores for the consumption of “high-added-sugar foods” and 54.7% for “high-saturated fat”. A statistically significant weak positive correlation was found between the UKDDQ score and age (ρ = 0.201, p < 0.001) with a more frequent choice of healthy foods with increasing age. Female respondents reported healthier habits, particularly in the consumption of “high-saturated fat” and “high-fiber foods”.
Conclusion: The majority of our sample did not take advantage of the potential benefits of healthy eating habits. The main food groups whose consumption should be emphasized or discouraged were individualized, particularly the need to encourage the consumption of high-fiber foods. Targeted educational actions must focus especially on younger and/or male patients.

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Published

2024-01-03

How to Cite

1.
Correia Rodriguez B, Rosendo I, Santos Coelho TI, Duarte Mendes P, dos Santos Rodrigues G, Faustino Francisco Ângela, Cerqueira Martins AS, Boto T, Guerra Fernandes F, Figueiredo Costa Ângela, Lamarão C, Miguéis Ferreira I, Andrade Glória J, Vicente Osório I, Couto Gonçalves TD, Rosas Pereira A, Almeida Guedes AS, Fernandes Mendes C, Pires da Silva S, Carvalhal A, Vasconcelos Costa P, Alves dos Reis B. Eating Habits of People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Portugal: A Cross-Sectional Study. Acta Med Port [Internet]. 2024 Jan. 3 [cited 2024 Dec. 22];37(1):27-35. Available from: https://actamedicaportuguesa.com/revista/index.php/amp/article/view/19738

Issue

Vol. 37 No. 1 (2024): January

Section

Original

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