Communicating diabetes best practices to clients: a preliminary investigation of educator perspectives

A Mixed Methods Evaluation of a Randomized Control Trial to Evaluate the Effectiveness of the Pure Prairie Living Program in Type 2 Diabetes Participants

The primary objective of this randomized control trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Pure Prairie Living Program (PPLP) in a primary care setting. Adults with type 2 diabetes were randomized into intervention (PPLP, n = 25) and wait-listed controls (CON, n = 24). The PPLP group participated in education sessions. The intervention yielded no significant within-group changes in HbA1c at three-month (-0.04 (-0.27 to 0.17) and -0.15 (-0.38 to 0.08)) or six-month (-0.09 (-0.41 to 0.22) and 0.06 (-0.26 to 0.38)) follow ups in either CON or PPLP groups, respectively. Dietary adherence scores improved in the PPLP group (p < 0.05) at three and six months but were not different in the between-group comparison. No changes in diabetes self-efficacy scores were detected. In the qualitative analysis, participants described the program as clear and easy to understand. Knowledge acquired influenced their everyday decision making but participants faced barriers that prevented them from fully applying what they learned. Healthcare professionals enjoyed delivering the program but described the "back-stage" workload as detrimental. In conclusion, while some positive effects of the PPLP intervention were observed, they were not comparable to those previously attained by our group in an academic setting or to what the guidelines recommend, which reflects the challenge of translating lifestyle intervention to real-world settings.

Falling into a deep dark hole: Tongan people's perceptions of being at risk of developing type 2 diabetes

Background

Prediabetes is a precursor for type 2 diabetes. Compared to the New Zealand/European and other population groups (24.6%), the prevalence of prediabetes is higher within Pacific groups (29.8%). The diagnosis of prediabetes presents a potential opportunity to intervene to prevent progression to type 2 diabetes.

Objective

To develop an understanding of how being ‘at risk’ of developing type 2 diabetes is perceived by Tongan people with prediabetes living in Auckland, New Zealand.

Methods

The Kakala and Talanga Tongan methodologies underpinned this study. Twelve one‐on‐one, semi‐structured interviews with Tongan patients who had prediabetes from a primary health‐care clinic in Auckland, New Zealand, were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to identify recurrent themes from the data.

Results

Participants were not aware of their prediabetes diagnosis, emotions associated with the diagnosis reflected fear and disbelief and a perception of imminent danger. Family history informed perceptions of the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Participants could not differentiate prediabetes from type 2 diabetes, and recollections of being ‘back in the Islands’ of Tonga were consistent with healthy lifestyles.

Conclusions

Prediabetes appeared to be poorly understood and was believed to be irreversible, which could discourage behaviour change, social and physical improvements in health. Appropriate culturally tailored messages to accompany a prediabetes diagnosis, including cause and management, would be beneficial for Pacific peoples.

Nutrition Interventions for Type 2 Diabetes in Chinese Populations: A Scoping Review

Developing culturally appropriate diabetes nutrition interventions for immigrants could be facilitated knowing what is successful in the home country and other relevant countries. The primary purpose of this scoping review was to identify the design and delivery methods of nutrition interventions for Chinese populations with type 2 diabetes, in their home countries and as immigrants to western countries. A total of 14 articles was retrieved and included. Overall, the approaches used in China often were modelled on intensive lifestyle programs although alternative strategies were also identified. Most interventions were not focussed solely on nutrition, and only a few were conducted in community settings. Most of the interventions were delivered in a group format, while those conducted in China also included individual counselling, particularly for nutrition. In addition, the diabetes and nutrition-related outcomes, cultural relevance and acceptability, and other factors that influenced protocol compliance were considered. Improvements in blood glucose control were observed in participants in all interventions where it was measured. Participants reported increased nutritional knowledge but nutritional behaviour was generally not well documented. Trials conducted in the United States emphasized the importance of cultural adaptation of intervention programs, particularly with respect to dietary patterns and specific foods. Practice-transferable characteristics are highlighted. Research gaps included trials conducted in community settings with pragmatic implementation and evaluation, comparative trials of interventions to gauge relative effectiveness, and measuring and reporting dietary outcomes for better understanding of the impact on dietary behaviours and their relationship to health outcomes.

Building Competency and Capacity for Promotion of Effective Physical Activity in Diabetes Care in Canada

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of the Canadian Diabetes Association's (CDA) resource titled Building Competency in Diabetes Education: Physical Activity and Exercise and associated workshops, on diabetes care providers' (DCPs) confidence and practices regarding physical-activity promotion 8 to 12 months after attending a workshop.

METHODS

In this action research study, 2 separate cross-sectional samples of DCPs were recruited. DCPs at baseline (N=462) completed a questionnaire assessing their current physical-activity promotion practices, intended changes in practice and intended implementation of the toolkit. At follow up, DCPs (n=132) completed an online questionnaire assessing their physical-activity counselling practices, confidence in their physical-activity counselling, use of the specific CDA resources as well as changes to practice and ongoing challenges.

RESULTS

At baseline, 58% of DCPs incorporated physical-activity content in the majority of their sessions; however, 66% of DCPs discussed physical activity in >50% of their sessions following the launch of the training initiative. Following the training, DCPs reported increased confidence across all 6 aspects of physical-activity counselling that were examined. Improvements were most frequently found in providing advice regarding the benefits of activity (86%) and providing instruction regarding resistance training (86%). DCPs most often changed their practices by discussing physical activity more frequently and confidently (27%); however, lack of time was frequently reported (37%) as an ongoing challenge to providing physical-activity counselling.

CONCLUSIONS

This evaluation highlights the impact of this national initiative and suggests that the resource is effective in improving physical-activity promotion in diabetes care.

Effectiveness of a Lifestyle Intervention in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: The Physical Activity and Nutrition for Diabetes in Alberta (PANDA) Trial

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients often find integrating a new dietary pattern into their lifestyle challenging; therefore, the PANDA (Physical Activity and Nutrition for Diabetes in Alberta) menu plan intervention was developed to help people incorporate the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) nutrition therapy guidelines into their daily lives. The menu plan focused on recipes and foods that were accessible, available and acceptable to Albertans. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention on blood glucose control and dietary adherence and quality among patients with T2D. Participants with T2D (n = 73) enrolled in a single-arm incorporating interactive education based on a four-week menu plan that incorporated the recommendations of the CDA nutrition therapy guidelines. Post-intervention follow-up was conducted at three and six months. After three months, there were beneficial changes in A1c (-0.7%), body mass index (BMI, -0.6 kg/m²), diastolic blood pressure (-4 mmHg), total cholesterol (-63 mg/dL), HDL- (+28 mg/dL) and LDL-cholesterol (-89 mg/dL), Healthy Eating Index (+2.1 score) and perceived dietary adherence (+8.5 score) (all p < 0.05). The significant improvements in A1c, BMI and lipids were maintained at six months. The PANDA menu plan intervention was effective in improving glycemic control and diet quality. The results suggest that a dietary intervention incorporating interactive education sessions focused on menu planning with familiar, accessible foods may be effective for diabetes management.

Diabetes, diet-health behavior, and obesity

High-quality diets play an important role in diabetes prevention. Appropriate dietary adherence can improve insulin sensitivity and glycemic control, and thus contribute to lifestyle improvement. However, previous research suggests that dietary adherence is arguably among the most difficult cornerstones of diabetes management. The objectives of this study are (1) to estimate whether and to what extent individuals diagnosed with diabetes show significant differences in diet quality [healthy eating index (HEI)] compared to healthy individuals, (2) to quantify whether and to what extent diabetics experience significantly higher outcomes of body mass index (BMI), and (3) to estimate whether and to what extent dietary supplementation impacts diabetes patient's diet quality and/or BMI outcomes. We use data from the 2007-2008 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The NHANES is the primary, randomized, and nationally representative survey used to assess the health and nutritional status in the U.S. We apply propensity score matching (PSM) to account for selection bias and endogeneity between self-reported diet and health behavir (treatment) and BMI outcomes. We control for an individual's BMI as to capture the impact of past dietary behavior in its impact on HEI. Matching results suggest that regular dietary supplement consumption is associated with significant lower BMI outcomes of almost 1 kg/m(2). The close relationship between diabetes and obesity has been at the center of the diet-health policy debate across Canada and the U.S. Knowledge about this linkage may help to improve the understanding of the factors that impact dietary choices and their overall health outcomes, which may lead to a more efficient and effective promotion of dietary guidelines, healthy food choices, and targeted consumer health and lifestyle policies.

Acculturation, Dietary Acceptability, and Diabetes Management among Chinese in North America

Immigrants to a new country face many challenges when diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, a chronic disease with a complex treatment involving both medical and behavioral interventions. These challenges will depend upon the extent to which the patient has adapted to the new country's social and cultural norms, as well as individual factors such as age, education, and gender. This adaptation is termed acculturation. With respect to nutritional interventions for type 2 diabetes, uptake and adherence over the long term will depend upon overall health literacy, the cultural acceptability of the recommended diet. This review has focused on acculturation and its effects on diabetes management in ethnic Chinese in North America as an example of one populous minority and the challenges faced in adopting nutritional recommendations. Research directions and practical considerations are suggested.

Collective knowledge: using a consensus conference approach to develop recommendations for physical activity and nutrition programs for persons with type 2 diabetes

The purpose of this consensus conference was to have a lay panel of persons with type 2 diabetes (T2D) work in collaboration with an expert panel of diabetes professionals to develop strategies designed to improve dietary and physical activity adherence in persons with T2D. Lay panel participants were 15 people living with T2D. The seven experts had expertise in exercise management, cardiovascular risk factors, community-based lifestyle interventions, healthy weight strategies, the glycemic index, exercise motivation, and social, environmental and cultural interactions. All meetings were facilitated by a professional, neutral facilitator. During the conference each expert gave a 15-min presentation answering questions developed by the lay panel and all panel members worked to generate suggestions for programs and ways in which the needs of persons with T2D may be better met. A subgroup of the lay panel used the suggestions created from the conference to generate a final list of recommendations. Recommendations were categorized into (1) diagnosis/awareness (e.g., increasing awareness about T2D in the general public, need for lifelong self-monitoring post-diagnosis); (2) education for the person with diabetes (e.g., periodic "refresher" courses), professionals (e.g., regular interactions between researchers and persons with T2D so researchers better understand the needs of the affected population), and the community (e.g., support for families and employers); and (3) ongoing support (e.g., peer support groups). The recommendations from the conference can be used by researchers to design and evaluate physical activity and nutrition programs. The results can also be of use to policy makers and health promoters interested in increasing adherence to physical activity and nutrition guidelines among persons with T2D.