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Use of snacks in insulin‐treated people with diabetes mellitus and association with HbA 1c , weight and quality of life: a cross sectional study
Author(s) -
Heller T.,
Kloos C.,
Keßler D.,
Müller N.,
Thierbach R.,
Wolf G.,
Müller U. A.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
diabetic medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.474
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1464-5491
pISSN - 0742-3071
DOI - 10.1111/dme.12616
Subject(s) - medicine , diabetes mellitus , type 2 diabetes , insulin , type 1 diabetes , cross sectional study , outpatient clinic , endocrinology , type 2 diabetes mellitus , pathology
Aim Insulin therapies with prandial injections offer the possibility to skip snacks or omit meals. It is unclear how many people with insulin‐treated diabetes mellitus eat snacks and whether they snack for their own comfort or only on the recommendation of healthcare professionals. Methods In 2004, 163 consecutive people with insulin‐treated diabetes seen in a university outpatient department were interviewed regarding their diet and degree of satisfaction with their meals. Fifty‐five had Type 1 diabetes [age 47 years; diabetes duration 18 years; BMI 27 kg/m 2 ; HbA 1c 62 mmol/mol (7.8%)], 53 had Type 2 diabetes with biphasic insulin therapy [age 68 years; diabetes duration 17 years; BMI 31 kg/m 2 ; HbA 1c 60 mmol/mol (7.6%)] and 55 had Type 2 diabetes with prandial insulin therapy [age 60 years; diabetes duration 16 years; BMI 33 kg/m 2 ; HbA 1c 59 mmol/mol (7.6%)]. Results Eighty per cent of those with Type 1 diabetes ate snacks, together with 77% of the Type 2 diabetes/biphasic group and 62% of the Type 2 diabetes/prandial group. Most participants (91% Type 1 diabetes, 88% Type 2 diabetes/biphasic group, 82% Type 2 diabetes/prandial group) liked to have snacks. The time at which they ate snacks was the same for both diabetes types. There were no differences between participants with Type 1 diabetes who snacked and those who did not in terms of age ( P = 0.350), BMI ( P = 0.368), HbA 1c ( P = 0.257) and time since diagnosis ( P = 0.846). Participants with Type 2 diabetes who ate snacks were older than those who did not (biphasic: P = 0.006; prandial: P = 0.008). There were no differences in terms of BMI (biphasic: P = 0.731; prandial: P = 0.393), HbA 1c (biphasic: P = 0.747; prandial: P = 0.616) and time since diagnosis (biphasic: P = 0.06; prandial: P = 0.620). Conclusions Most people with insulin‐treated diabetes eat snacks voluntarily and not because of physicians' instructions. There were no correlations between the use of snacks and HbA 1c , BMI and time since diagnosis, except that the participants with Type 2 diabetes who ate snacks were older.