Transculturalization of a diabetes-specific nutrition algorithm: Asian application

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology and Metabolism
• Public Health
• Nutrition Science

Background:

• Type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence is rapidly increasing in Asia.
• Asian T2D patients often present with earlier onset, unique pathophysiology, and increased complications.
• Effective T2D management necessitates culturally adapted care plans and knowledgeable practitioners.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the need for regionally specific medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Asia.
• To adapt existing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for effective implementation in diverse Asian healthcare settings.
• To present an algorithmic tool for diabetes-specific nutrition therapy tailored for Asian populations.

Main Methods:

• Selection and adaptation of evidence-based CPGs for nutrition and diabetes therapy.
• Development of an algorithmic tool for diabetes-specific MNT.
• Cultural adaptation of the algorithmic tool for Asian and Asian-Indian populations.
• Consideration of regional factors: cultural, ethnic, socioeconomic, dietary preferences, and comorbidities.

Main Results:

• An international task force adapted existing CPGs into a simplified, evidence-based algorithm for T2D nutrition therapy.
• Culturally adapted Asian and Asian-Indian versions of the algorithmic tool have been developed.
• The Asian version of the algorithmic tool is presented in this report.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing T2D outcomes in Asia requires coordinated care and knowledgeable practitioners.
• Implementing diabetes-specific MNT necessitates high-quality, transparent, and regionally adapted CPGs.
• The developed algorithmic tool provides a practical approach to culturally sensitive MNT for Asian T2D patients.