Impact of Individual and Group Nutrition Education on Diabetic Adults’ Knowledge, Perception, Practice, and Glycemic Control in Riyadh

Bawazir, Nahla; Abdel Gawwad, Ensaf S.; Khanam, Latifa

doi:10.21608/jhiph.2006.158623

Impact of Individual and Group Nutrition Education on Diabetic Adults’ Knowledge, Perception, Practice, and Glycemic Control in Riyadh

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Diabetic Center, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

² Health Administration & Behavioral Sciences Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Egypt

³ Nutrition Department, Applied Medical Science College, King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA

10.21608/jhiph.2006.158623

Abstract

The objective of the study was to assess the impact of the nutrition education [NE] program using two intervention modalities on knowledge, reception, practices, and health status of diabetic patients attending Diabetes Center [DC] at King Abdel-Aziz University Hospital, Riyadh City. A pre-post-test experimental study was carried out where all patients referred within 6 months to the DC nutrition clinic were included in two experimental groups [n=141]. The 1^stgroup received five day group education program while the 2^ndgroup received individual education program. A third control group [n=61] was selected randomly from diabetics attending primary health care clinics.
The results showed that the implemented program brought about a significant increase in mean total scores of nutritional Knowledge, dietary practices, physical activities, and perceived benefits of dieting and exercising in both experimental groups compared to control group. More improvement in dietary score was found among group teaching patients than individual teaching patients. However, means of energy, carbohydrate, protein, fat, and fiber intake showed no significant difference for both experimental groups at post-test, with significant difference in both carbohydrate and fiber intake for the control group. A positive change was observed in the traditional dietary beliefs. All groups showed a slight decrease in perceived barriers for compliance after implementing program. No significant difference was found between the three groups as regard mean body weight and body mass index [BMI] among males and females at pre- and post-test. However, paired t-test revealed a significant difference in the mean weight and BMI in female patients receiving individual teaching. Individual and group teaching programs brought about a marker decrease in fasting blood glucose level, and 2 hr pp glucose level among experimental groups. The education program had insignificant slightly decreasing effect on serum glycated hemoglobin and serum triglycerides, meanwhile cholesterol remained more or less the same. The study recommends generalization of such coordinated NE program in all diabetes care centers.

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