DIETARY PATTERNS AMONG DIABETIC AND NON-DIABETIC MEXICAN AMERICAN WOMEN

Purpose: Targeting ethnic disparities in diabetes mellitus (DM) prevalence has become a major focus of disease prevention. In the U.S., 13.3% of Mexican Americans have been diagnosed with DM - a rate 1.9 times higher than among non-Hispanic whites. Recent literature has focused on cultural perceptions and behaviors contributing to risk factors that lead to DM. The goal of this pilot study was to examine what type of information was given by health care providers, as well as obtain self-reported diabetic care activities among Mexican American women. Additionally, this study sought to compare the dietary patterns of diabetics and non-diabetics. Methods: Data was analyzed from 47 Mexican American women (diabetic n=24; non-diabetic n=23) recruited through the Health and Aging Brain Study among Latino Elders (HABLE), a translational research study that examines factors related to aging among Hispanics. Variables included age, food frequency questionnaire, HbA1c levels, blood glucose, BMI, and a summary of diabetes self-care activity measures. A one-way ANOVA was conducted to examine the difference in nutritional intake according to diabetic status. Results: The average age of onset of a DM diagnosis was 48 years old. Diabetics reported their health care providers advised them to: follow a healthy eating plan (94%), reduce number of calories (95%), follow a complex carbohydrate diet (74%), follow a diet high in fiber (74%), eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables daily (63%), and lose weight (80%). Further examination showed that 50% had uncontrolled HbA1c (X=8.7) and blood glucose levels (X=170). Significant elevations in BMI [F(1,44)=5.4, p=0.02] and daily caloric intake [F(1,45)=4.2, p=0.04] were found in diabetic women compared to non-diabetic participants. No significant difference was found in daily intake of carbohydrates, protein, and total fat. Conclusions: The results suggest that diabetic women have a higher BMI and daily caloric intake than non-diabetic women despite reporting advice given from their health care providers regarding dietary patterns. This may be due to several reasons. First, it is possible that participants have changed their eating habits, though not enough to achieve glycemic control. Secondly, it is possible that more in depth dietary intervention or nutritional counseling is needed. Limitations include small sample size. More research into dietary patterns of diabetics is needed to design culturally appropriate interventions.