No nutritional protocol for poorly controlled diabetic patients receiving well-managed drug treatment is currently available.
Objective: Aims were to compare dietary consumption of calcium and fibers with lipid profile and glycosilated hemoglobin HbA1c.
Methodology: This was a prospective observational study. Patients with poorly controlled diabetes were consecutively recruited. A food-frequency questionnaire and tests for lipid profile, HbA1c, and C reactive protein were collected, along with clinical and anthropometric assessment.
Results: Patients (N = 114, age 65.7 ± 6.5 years, 75.4% females, BMI 29.0 ± 5.3 kg/m²) were often insulin-dependent (32.5%) and with systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein 4.2 ± 3.9 mg/L). Diet was energy restricted (1,365 ± 565 kcal/day) and mostly adequate but with suboptimal fiber (15.4 ± 8.6 g/day) and very low calcium (592.4 ± 204.4 mg/day). Calcium and fiber in the diet correlated with serum lipids, whereas fiber alone displayed a protective association regarding diabetes (HBA1c, insulin use) and arterial hypertension.
Conclusions: Calcium and fiber ingestion exhibited correlations with important markers of metabolic status and cardiovascular risk. Future studies should address enhancement of these ingredients by means of dietary changes and supplements.