Association of nutrition education with the delay of the conversion of pre-diabetes to diabetes in hyperglycemic veterans

Diabetes is a multi-factorial, complex disease where lifestyle changes including diet and exercise can play a pivotal role in its prevention and management. This retrospective study determined the effectiveness of an outpatient nutrition education program in preventing/delaying the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Hyperglycemic Veterans (n=372) were divided into a treatment group that received nutrition education (n=207) and a quasi-control group that did not receive nutrition education (n=165). Body weight, body mass index (BMI) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) changes were analyzed using Cox Proportional Hazards and chi-square tests. Data indicated significantly fewer Veterans were diagnosed with diabetes in the treatment group compared to the control group (p < 0.0005). Covariates of age, HbA1c and BMI were positively associated with diabetes. A diagnosis of diabetes occurred 2-3 months later for Veterans receiving nutrition education. Nutrition education significantly delayed the conversion of pre-diabetes to a diagnosis of diabetes among Veterans.

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Nutrition

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Erickson, Megan

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Moore, Carolyn E.
• Garcia, Jose
• Juma, Shanil
• Utech, Anne

• Health and environmental sciences
• Education
• Diabetes
• Nutrition education
• Obesity
• Veteran
• Weight management

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11274/9948

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:twu-ir.tdl.org:11274/9948