Pattern of macronutrients intake among type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in Malaysia

Zaleha Md Isa; Noor Hassim Ismail; Azmi Mohd Tamil; Mohd Hasni Jaafar; Rosnah Ismail; Nor Ashikin Mohamed Noor Khan; Nafiza Mat Nasir; Nurul Hafiza Ab Razak; Najihah Zainol Abidin; Khairul Hazdi Yusof

doi:10.1186/s40795-022-00648-y

Pattern of macronutrients intake among type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in Malaysia

BMC Nutr. 2023 Jan 30;9(1):21. doi: 10.1186/s40795-022-00648-y.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, UKM Medical Centre, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Cheras, Malaysia.
² Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, UKM Medical Centre, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Cheras, Malaysia. ramalbaru@gmail.com.
³ Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA Sungai Buloh, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia.
⁴ Department of Diagnostic & Allied Health Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Management & Science University, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.

Abstract

Background: The incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is rising rapidly in Malaysia. Modifying dietary intake is key to both the prevention and treatment of T2DM. This study aims to investigate the pattern of macronutrient intake among T2DM patients in Malaysia.

Methods: This study was carried out on adults aged between 35 and 70 years, residing in urban and rural Malaysian communities. A series of standardised questionnaires was used to assess the sociodemographic information, dietary intake and physical activity level of 15,353 respondents who provided informed consent to participate in this study. Blood sampling (finger prick test) and physical examination were performed to obtain blood glucose and anthropometric data, respectively. The Chi-square test was used to assess differences in the trends of macronutrient intake among T2DM patients.

Results: The total number of participants diagnosed with T2DM in this study was 2254. Of these, 453 (20.1%) were newly diagnosed, 1156 (51.3%) were diagnosed for ≤5 years and 645 (28.6%) were diagnosed for > 5 years. Male patients show that there were significant differences among the three groups of T2DM according to the following variables: age, BMI, residency, participant comorbidity of hypertension, family history of T2DM and hypertension, and active smoker. Meanwhile, female patients show significant differences among the three groups of T2DM according to the following variables: age, BMI, marital status, education level, residency, participant comorbidity of hypertension and family history of T2DM. Most of the male patients consumed appropriate proportions of carbohydrate (458, 60.7%) and protein (618, 81.9%). However, female patients did not show any significant differences of the macronutrients intake among the three groups of T2DM patients.

Conclusions: The pattern of dietary intake among T2DM patients in this study showed consumption of carbohydrate and protein within the range of Malaysian RNI, coupled with high fat intake. Compliance with the Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) was satisfactory for both carbohydrate and protein but not for fat. The pattern indicated a preference for fat rather than protein when carbohydrate intake was restricted.

Keywords: Adult; Macronutrients; Obesity; Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).