Barriers to dietary practice adherence among the elderly diabetes

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Some research viewed that effective dietary therapy was enough to control proper blood glucose level, but in the most patient, dietary therapy was not practiced and the most difficult part of managing their diabetes. The purpose of this research study was to investigate dietary practice adherence and perceived barriers among the elderly diabetes. METHODS: The survey was mailed to 852 persons with diabetes member via diabetic educator of 156 hospitals or clinics and 24 health centers. Questionnaire had background information of patients, meal regularity, food intake as a dietary practice adherence, barriers of 36 items which have 3 areas such as motive/attitude, knowledge, authority/resource. We asked the person with diabetes to rate barrier to dietary practice adherence. 432 questionnaire were returned the response. we selected 69 persons who were over 65 year old. RESULTS: 1) meal regularity was more satisfactory than food intake. 2) deficit of meal regularity were evening snack and resonable spacing between evening meal and evening snack. 3) deficit of food intake was serving of milk. 4) main barrier to dietary practice adherence was that of knowledge. CONCLUSION: For practice effectively dietary therapy to elderly diabetes, individual consultation or small group education must be pursued and more easily educational skills should be required.