A1C Reduction Using a Menu Plan Intervention in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes patients often find integrating a new dietary pattern into their lifestyle challenging; therefore, the PANDA (Physical Activity and Nutrition for Diabetes in Alberta) program was developed to help people incorporate the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) nutrition therapy guidelines into their daily diet. Our objective was to conduct a phase 2 single-arm trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a nutrition intervention focused on menu planning on glycated hemoglobin (A1c), weight, fat mass, waist circumference, body mass index and diet adherence among type 2 diabetic patients. The intervention structure was based on social cognitive theory and included 5 weekly group sessions, a grocery store tour, a 4-week menu plan that incorporated the overall recommendations of the CDA nutrition therapy guidelines and hands-on activities. Perceived dietary adherence, anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist, hip circumferences) and A1c were measured at baseline and 3 months. The average age of participants (n=22) was 60±6.8 (SD) and duration of diabetes was 10±10 years. After 3 months, there were statistically significant (p<0.05) reductions in HbA1c (–0.65 %), waist circumference (–1.9 cm) and fat mass (–0.78 kg). Also, perceived dietary adherence improved significantly (p<0.000). The preliminary results of this ongoing study suggest that a dietary intervention incorporating education sessions focused on menu planning and hands-on activities may be effective for diabetes management.