Higher Vegetable Intake Improved Blood Glucose Level in Vietnamese With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Background: BMIs of Vietnamese type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) are within the normal range. We felt that the crucial factor in DM is not obesity but rather low intake of vegetables and fiber (transition nutrition). Fiber has effect on controlling blood glucose. The main source of fiber in Vietnamese cuisine is vegetables but consumption is very low. In this study, we tried to increase vegetable and fiber intakes by using dressing and mayonnaise which are new foods in Vietnamand assessed their effects on blood glucose concentrations. Methods: We contacted 300 subjects from 2,000 DM outpatients at a hospital and selected 60 of them for the study. We made 30 pairs matched by sex, age, BMI and years of DM, and divided them randomly into intervention and control group. Both groups received basic nutrition education about vegetables. The intervention group was further instructed to use dressing and mayonnaise. At the baseline and final periods, anthropometric measurements, blood withdrawal and a 3-day weighing method nutrition survey were conducted. Results: From our daily contact, we think that vegetable intakes were 300g and 450g in the control and intervention group, respectively were maintained throughout the whole period. The fructosamine concentration in the intervention group had decreased significantly (P<0.05) but not in the control group (P>0.05). There was a negative correlation between vegetable intake and blood fructosamine levels. Conclusion: By using dressing and mayonnaise for 2 weeks, vegetable and fiber intakes were consumed about 450g and 12g a day respectively and fructosamine levels dropped.