Association of Eating Patterns and Diabetic Kidney Disease in Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the relationship between eating patterns and diabetic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Outpatients underwent clinical and nutritional evaluation. Dietary information was obtained through a validated quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and eating patterns were identified by cluster analysis. Diabetic kidney disease was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m² and/or persistently elevated urinary albumin concentration (albuminuria ≥ 14 mg/L). Procedures involving patients were approved by the Hospital's Ethics Committee. Patients with type 2 diabetes treated at university hospital and tertiary referral center, southern Brazil.

A total of 329 patients were evaluated: mean age 62 ± 10 years, body mass index 30.9 ± 4.2 kg/m², glycated hemoglobin 8.7% ± 2.0, and 10 (5 to 19) years of diabetes duration. Four eating patterns were identified based on cluster analysis: healthy= dairy products, fruits, and vegetables; snacks= dairy products, whole breads, vegetables, and low-calorie products; processed foods= refined carbohydrates and processed meat, and red meat= red meat. Poisson regression models confirmed that snack eaters (PR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.10, 1.99; P = .010) and red meat eaters (PR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.29, 2.89; P = .001) were associated with diabetic kidney disease.

In this sample of outpatients with type 2 diabetes, the patterns of snacks and red meat were associated with diabetic kidney disease as compared to a healthy pattern.