Assessing The Dietary Awareness, And The Impact Of Nutritional Education Tool Amongst Type 2 Diabetes Patients: A Questionnaire Based Study

Clinical Nutrition and Nutraceutical (Nutrition and Dietetics)

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is among the most prevalent metabolic disorders globally. It primarily develops due to a dual defect: impaired insulin secretion by the pancreatic β-cells and reduced responsiveness of peripheral tissues to insulin. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines diabetes mellitus as a chronic metabolic condition marked by persistently elevated blood glucose levels, which, over time, can result in serious complications affecting the cardiovascular system, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. T2DM accounts for more than 90% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. According to the 2017 report by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the global burden of diabetes among adults has been steadily rising. At the time of the report, an estimated 451 million individuals were living with diabetes, a number projected to increase to 693 million by the year 2045. Alarmingly, nearly 49.7% of these individuals were believed to be unaware of their condition. Furthermore, diabetes was linked to approximately 5 million deaths globally within the 20 to 99-year age group. This study aimed to assess the level of awareness and the impact of educational tools among patients with type 2 diabetes, and to determine the prevalence of adequate knowledge, awareness, and good dietary practices. The study also evaluated the effectiveness of educational interventions in improving patients’ understanding and self-management of diabetes. This interventional cohort study was conducted over three months at D.Y. Patil Hospital, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, among 100 patients with type 2 diabetes selected by convenience sampling. Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires were used to assess awareness, knowledge, and dietary practices. Participants received an educational session, including an educational tool and a portion control plate (“My Plate”), and the post-questionnaire was administered immediately to evaluate the intervention’s effectiveness. These findings demonstrate that the educational tool effectively improved awareness, corrected misconceptions, and promoted healthier dietary practices among patients with type 2 diabetes. No significant differences were observed between male and female participants, as both genders showed similar gains in awareness, highlighting the overall effectiveness of the nutrition education intervention.

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