Objective: To determine if an educational and dietetic program diminish the risk factors of diabetes mellitus type 2 in obese children.
Design: quasi-experimental trial.
Material and methods: We performed a study in 28 obese children. They received instruction in diabetes mellitus, participated in a nutritional education group, and received an individual dietetic treatment during six months. There was used a 24-hour recall about dietary intake, body mass index and blood pressure measure monthly. Glucose, leptin, and insulin levels were measured at baseline and after the six months of treatment. Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon tests were used.
Results: We studied 13 female and 15 male obese children with an age average of 9.7 years. Body mass index (29.0 versus 25.6), blood pressure (121/80 versus 118/78 mm Hg), fasting glucose (95 versus 92 mg/dL), total cholesterol (166 versus 155 mg/dL), triglycerides (144 versus 142 mg/dL), insulin resistance index (5.9 versus 4.9), leptin (56.1 versus 57.3 ng/mL), and energy intake (3409 versus 2243 kcal) decreased, at the begin and at the end of the study. Nutriment and sufficiency balance were lower too (p<0.05).
Conclusions: The program diminished the risk factors for diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.