Associations Between Self‐Rated Diet Quality and Type 2 Diabetes Indicators: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2009‐2010)

Abstract

ObjectiveTo examine associations between self‐rated diet quality and key health indicators within a nationally representative sample (NHANES 2009‐2010).Methods: Self‐rated diet quality was assessed as “In general, how healthy is your overall diet?; with five response levels – ‘excellent,’ ‘very good,’ ‘good,’ ‘fair,’ or ‘poor’ among adults in the NHANES 2009‐2010. Mean values of chronic disease health indicators were compared by category of self‐rated diet quality using analysis of variance.Results: Nearly one third (31.4%) report overall diet quality was ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’, 42.8% reported ‘good’, and 24.8% rated their diet quality as ‘fair’ or ‘poor’. Lower self‐rated diet quality was significantly associated with higher body mass index, waist circumference, hemoglobin A1c, and fasting blood glucose (Table 1).ConclusionsSelf‐rated diet quality may be a quick, inexpensive tool for identifying individuals at risk for diet‐related health conditions, detect broad changes in perceived diet quality among cohorts over time, and targeting interventions towards those most likely to participate in and benefit from diet‐related changes.Table 1. Self‐rated diet quality by type 2 diabetes indicators, NHANES 2009‐2010, mean (SE). Risk Factor Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor Body Mass Index, kg/m2 26.1 (0.4) 27.1 (0.3)* 28.8 (0.2)* 30.0 (0.2)* 31.8 (0.4)* Waist Circumference, cm 92.1 (0.7) 94.0 (0.8)* 97.9 (0.4)* 101.1 (0.6)* 104.8 (0.8)* Hemogobin A1c, % 5.5 (0.0) 5.5 (0.0) 5.6 (0.0)* 5.7 (0.0)* 5.8 (0.1)* Fasting Blood Glucose, mg/dL 100.0 (1.6) 100.5 (1.4) 103.1 (0.9) 105.0 (0.8)* 109.9 (2.7)* *P<0.05 by analysis of variance.