Evaluation of US Veterans Nutrition Education for Diabetes Prevention

J Nutr Educ Behav. 2016 Sep;48(8):538-543.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2016.06.007.

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition education interventions for diabetes prevention.

Design: Retrospective cohort design.

Setting: Tertiary-care US Veterans' Hospital, July 2007 to July 2012, using pre-existing database.

Participants: Prediabetic, adult veterans (n = 372), mostly men (94.4%, n = 351).

Interventions: Visits with existing nutrition education classes were collected.

Primary outcome: diabetes status; predictors: visits/encounters, age, body mass index, weight change, and hemoglobin A1c.

Analysis: Cox proportional hazards method, χ(2) test, and logistic regression.

Results: In this sample, prediabetic veterans who received nutrition education were less likely to develop diabetes when compared with prediabetic veterans who did not receive nutrition education (hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.55-0.92; P < .01). This difference remained significant after adjusting for body mass index and weight change.

Conclusions and implications: Nutrition education was significantly associated with preventing the progression from prediabetes to diabetes in US Veterans participating in a nutrition education intervention at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Keywords: diabetes; nutrition education; prediabetes; veterans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / prevention & control*
  • Female
  • Health Education / methods*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nutritional Sciences / education*
  • Nutritional Status
  • Retrospective Studies
  • United States
  • Veterans / statistics & numerical data*