The role of dietary patterns in gylcemic control in youth with type 1 diabetes in Rwanda

Diabetes is a serious public health issue that is increasingly undermining the health and well-being of individuals world-wide. The disease particularly burdens low and middle-income countries, where spending and resources for treatment and prevention are scarce. To address the inadequacies in diabetes care, the Life for a Child Program (LFAC) has been established for youth diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in many low and middle-income countries, including Rwanda. The LFAC program works throughout all of Rwanda alongside the Association Rwandaise des Diabetiques (ARD) to provide specialized care to youth in order for them to successfully manage their diabetes and prevent complications or even death. However, given that Rwanda is a low-income country, food insecurity is widespread, which presents a challenge to youth with type 1 diabetes, as diet is a vital component in diabetes management. Specifically, the timing, frequency, and content of meals is important as individuals must coordinate their insulin dosage with food intake to prevent hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, which will help them achieve glycemic control. This paper examines the role of the dietary patterns of youth diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in Rwanda to assess whether specific dietary patterns are associated with better glycemic control