Nutrition quality and associated factors in diabetes in a health service in Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

Background and Objective: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by a state of chronic hyperglycemia, and it is considered as one of the main current of chronic diseases in developing countries. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the nutritional profile in glycemic levels, establish the relationship between body mass index (BMI) with glucose levels, and to investigate the association between the consumption of saturated fats and levels of glucose by hemoglucotest (HGT) of patients with type II DM. Method: It was conducted a cross-sectional field study using secondary data from a previous study with 87 adults older than 40 years adults registered in HIPERDIA program, that were under monitoring for type II DM in the Service Center Diabetic and Hypertensive (SCDH) at Feira de Santana city, Bahia. A questionnaire about sociodemographic and lifestyle habits was applied and medical records were evaluated for obtaining additional data such as blood sugar and blood pressure levels of the participants. Results: Most of the participants were female with a mean age of ± 62 years, living in urban areas and with low levels of income. As for the rates of Hemoglucotest (HGT), it can be seen that presented the best rates individuals who did not use tobacco, they had body mass index (BMI)<25 and had less calorie diets. Conclusion: These results may contribute to better diabetes coping both by affected individuals as the professionals that assist and guide new strategies for prevention and treatment of this disease, especially considering the diet therapy.