Nutritional and Pharmacological Therapy Adherence in Type-2 Diabetes Patients in a Mediterranean Region | Chapter 11 | Issues and Developments in Medicine and Medical Research Vol. 9

 Introduction: Patients with type 2 diabetes do not place the same priority on nutritional therapy as they do on other types of interventions. The value that T2DM patients place on nutritional and pharmaceutical therapy was examined in this study, as well as perceived impediments to nutritional therapy adherence.

Methods: A non-random sample of 62 patients receiving health treatment at a Diabetes Clinic in Faro, Portugal's Algarve region, were interviewed using a semi-structured procedure about their sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, physical activity, and dietary preferences. Additional information was gathered from the patient's medical records and through regular anthropometric testing.

Patients' nutritional consumption is low, and the majority are overweight (36 percent; n=22) or obese (53 percent; n=33). Physical exercise is ranked lower than nutritional consumption and pharmaceutical therapy (F=19.6; p0.001). Patients with a higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet perceive their diet to be of higher quality (rSpearman=0.371; p=0.032), while patients with a higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet regard their food to be of higher quality (66 percent; n=41). The importance of dietary intake as a disease treatment is significant, but patients appear to have difficulty following the recommendations and maintaining their compliance. Conclusions: Patients should be given the tools they need to enhance their own health. It is necessary to create and implement appropriate, personalised interventions.

Author(S) Details

Ezequiel Pinto
University of Algarve, School of Health, Portugal.

Nídia Braz
University of Algarve, School of Health, Portugal.

Tânia Nascimento
University of Algarve, School of Health, Portugal.

Eurico Gomes
Association for the Study of Diabetes Mellitus and Support for Diabetic Patients in the Algarve, Aedmada, Portugal.


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