Journal of Continuing Education and Extension, 2015; 6(1): 775-788
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic disease associated with impaired
glucose metabolism. This study aimed at assessing the effect of nutrition education
intervention on the lifestyle behaviors and management of T2DM among adult
diabetic patients who attended a clinic at Bugando hospital, Mwanza city for a
period of one year during 2013. A cross-sectional study design was used to identify
the population at risk of T2DM, from which random blood testing for glucose
testing was conducted. Thereafter, a fasting blood glucose test was performed for
the study sample with elevated blood sugar (>200 mg/dl) to confirm the cases
(individuals suffering from T2DM).The cases were subjected to nutrition and
lifestyle education intervention programme for one year. Findings showed that
baseline mean fasting blood glucose was 285.15:=86.08ing/d1. Mean age was
55.8525 ± 9.36 years while the mean Body Mass Index (BMI) was 28.18 kg/m2,
falling within the overweight category(24.9-29.9kg/m2); and there was a
significant (p<0.05) difference in fasting blood glucose between males and
females. After the intervention, results revealed that fluting blood glucose levels
were observed to decrease gradually from the baseline period up to 12 months.
The difference in blood glucose levels between clinical visits (three months) was
found to be significant (p<0.05). There was about 34% average decrease in blood
glucose levels from the baseline survey to the post-intervention measure. Fasting
blood glucose during baseline was significantly higher (p<0.05) than at the
3months after intervention. There was 7.3% mean decrease in average body
weight from the baseline to the post intervention measurement. Mean BMI also
decreased gradually with time. This study revealed that nutrition and modification
of lifestyle behavior such as participation in exercises and reducing the amount of
starch had delayed the effects' of T2DMby one year. It is therefore, possible to
delay or prevent the development of complications of diabetes by adherence to
clinical recommendation on nutrition and lifestyle modification.