Evaluation of food label nutrition intervention for women with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective To evaluate an educational intervention about the food label designed specifically for women with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Design A pretest-posttest control group design. Participants received random group assignment. Subjects/setting Forty-three women aged 40 to 60 years with type 2 diabetes living in a rural community in Pennsylvania participated. Forty participants (93%) completed the program. Intervention Nine weekly group sessions were developed on the basis of findings from previous research among this sample. Principles from Ausubel's learning theory were also incorporated into program design and evaluation. Main outcome measures The effectiveness of the food label education program on participants' knowledge was determined using a multiple-choice test designed to measure declarative and procedural knowledge. A skills inventory assessed participants' perceived confidence in using the food label. The validity and reliability of the instruments had been established previously. Statistical analyses Analysis of variance was performed to compare groups. Paired t tests compared pretest and posttest results. Results The experimental group showed a greater gain than the control group in total knowledge (P
Nutrition therapy is an essential component of successful diabetes management. Food selection affects the nutrient and energy content of the diet and the metabolic control of levels of glycated hemoglobin, [...]