Impact of Individual and Group Nutrition

The objective of the study was to assess the impact of the nutrition education [NE] program using two intervention modalities on knowledge, perception, practices, and health status of diabetic patients attending Diabetes Center [DC] at King Abdel-Aziz University Hospital, Riyadh City. A pre-post-test experimental study was carried out where all patients referred within 6 months to the DC nutrition clinic were included in the two experimenta/groups [n=141]. The 1st group received five day group education program while the 2nd group received Individual education program. A third control group [n=61] was selected randomly from diabetics attending primary heath care clinics. The results showed that the implemented program brought about a significant increase in mean total scores of nutritional Knowledge, dietary practices, physical activities, and perceived benefits of dieting and exercising in both experimental groups• oomparedto control group. More improvement in dietary score was found among group teaching patients than individual teaching patients. However, means of energy, carbohydrate, protein, fat, and fiber intake showed no significant difference for both experimental groups at post-lest, With significant difference in both carbohydrate and fiber intake for the control group. A po&ltlve change• was observed in the traditional dietary beliefs. All groups showed a slight decroase In peroelved barriers for compliance after implementing program. No significant difference was found between the three groups as regard mean body weight and Body mass Index (BMI] among males and females at pre- and post-test. However, paired t-test revealed a slgnlfioant dlfferenoe In the mean weight and BMI in female patients receiving individual \culohlng .. Individual and group teaching programs brought about a marked decrease in fasting bloodgluOOSG laval, and 2 hr pp gIUbOS\;) leval among experimental groups. The education f}rogratn had Inslgnifl?ant. slightly deoreasing effect on serum glycated hemoglobin and serum {rlglycerldes, meanWl'llia ohOlesterol remained more or less the same. The study recommends genor/:lllzallotl of such coordinated NE program in all diabetes care centers