Carbohydrate Knowledge Observed to be Low in Vietnamese Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Objective: To assess carbohydrate knowledge of Vietnamese women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and explore factors associated with carbohydrate knowledge.

Methods: Vietnamese women (n = 100) with GDM completed an online questionnaire about self-efficacy in managing blood glucose, the habit of regularly self-monitoring blood glucose activities at home, and an adapted culturally tailored carbohydrate quiz for the target population.

Results: Participants (30 ± 4 years) answered on average 51% of the carbohydrate knowledge questions correctly, showing most difficulty in identifying honey, milk, and orange juice as carbohydrate sources. Only 46% of participants correctly identified carbohydrate content on nutrition labels, and 58% practice self-monitoring blood glucose activities at home. Carbohydrate knowledge was positively associated with self-efficacy in blood glucose management (r² = 0.101, P = 0.003) and practicing self-monitoring blood glucose (r² = 0.064, P = 0.013).

Conclusions and implications: There is a need to provide nutrition education about carbohydrate knowledge and blood glucose control to Vietnamese women to manage GDM.

Keywords: carbohydrate knowledge; gestational diabetes; glucose control self-monitoring; nutrition literacy; self-efficacy.