Determining the relationship between the nutritional habits and HbA1c levels of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients applied to A diet clinic

This study was conducted on 50 individuals, 12 males and 38 females, who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who were admitted to Gaziosmanpaşa Training and Research Hospital Internal Medicine Outpatient Clinic between March and April 2021 and were subsequently referred to the diet outpatient clinic. The aim of the study is to determine the relationship between the nutritional habits, anthropometric measurements and some biochemical findings of adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus and the HbA1c level. The patients participating in the study were grouped as <7%to> 7%according to their HbA1c levels and compared according to these groups and gender. A questionnaire form was applied to diabetic individuals in order to determine their descriptive characteristics, physical activity levels, additional illnesses and nutritional habits. The HbA1c level of 40%(n = 20) of the patients is <7%and the HbA1c level of 60%(n = 30) is> 7%. While the average age of men and women with HbA1c level <7%was 48,2 and 41,5 years; The average age of men and women with HbA1c level> 7%was found to be 49,9 and 46,9 years. It was observed that most of the patients in the group with HbA1c level <7%were First Degree Obese, and those with HbA1c level> 7%were overweight. There was no statistically significant relationship between the groups according to BMI degrees (p> 0.05). Fasting blood glucose was found to be significantly lower in the group with HbA1c level <7%compared to the group with HbA1c level> 7%regardless of gender (p <0.05). Total cholesterol and HDL levels of the group with HbA1c level <7%among female patients were found to be higher than the other group, and LDL and triglyceride levels were found to be lower in this group. Total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglyceride values of men were found to be lower in the group with HbA1c <7%compared to the other group. It was found that the white bread consumption of the participants in this study was higher in the group with HbA1c level> 7, and the consumption of wholemeal and whole wheat bread was less. It was observed that the consumption of sugar, honey-jam-molasses was higher in the group with HbA1c level> 7 than the group with HbA1c level <7. As a result, it was determined in our study that eating habits affect the HbA1c value. Therefore, for a good metabolic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes, adequate and balanced nutrition plan should be applied and lifelong behavioral change should be gained.