Good Snacking Practice Is Positively Associated with Better T2DM Management in Turkish Patients (P18-044-19)

Abstract

ObjectivesType 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) prevalence is increasing worldwide, while incidence and prognosis are strongly affected by diet. Since cure remains elusive, T2DM management emerges as critical, while meal timing, food amount and quality are key for glycemic control. Healthy snack consumption (SC) in terms of both quality and amount between meals improves glycemic control by regulating plasma glucose and optimizing insulin secretion. In Turkey, a country in epidemiological transition, T2DM prevalence is estimated at 13.7% and increasing rapidly while awareness on SC importance is low. This work aimed to investigate the relationship between SC and T2DM management efficiency in Turkish patients, a severely understudied topic to date. Methods102 adults (57 male, 45 female), T2DM registered patients at Istanbul University Medicine Faculty Hospital, participated. A country-specific questionnaire for Turkey was applied for assessing demographics, eating habits and SC. Anthropometry, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c were assessed to evaluate T2DM management efficiency. ResultsOf all participants, 52% were 35–64 years old, 29.4% overweight and 71.6% had waist circumference <105 cm. Regarding demographics, 40.2% obtained university education, 30.4% had income medium-high. 38.2% of participants were T2DM diagnosed for 1–5 years, 64.7% were receiving diabetes education and 44.1% were obtaining T2DM-specific education from dieticians. Patients who consumed more regularly snacks of better quality exhibited better T2DM control as assessed by HbA1c. Furthermore, patients receiving T2DM education by experts demonstrated better SC practices and T2DM management as judged by HbA1c levels. ConclusionsGood SC practices are associated with more effective T2DM management in Turkish patients, while diabetes education positively affects SC. Funding SourcesThis work was supported via the Endowment Fund for Research in Health Sciences, of Istanbul Yeni Yuzyil University.