Descriptive Study to Assess the Correlation Between Patterns of Dietary Consumption With Systolic and Diastolic Blood...

Background India leads the world with many patients with diabetes, so it is termed the "diabetes capital of the world". The aim of the study was to find a correlation between the dietary consumption patterns and systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and random blood sugar (RBS) among adults with diabetes.  Method A descriptive-correlational research design was used to collect data regarding dietary consumption among 159 adults with diabetes via a semi-structured questionnaire, and their physiological parameters were measured (SBP, DBP, and RBS).  Results The mean age of the participants was 53.4±1.23 years. The majority of them were female participants (n=87; 54.7%) and were living in a joint family (n=87; 54.7%). The mean dietary consumption per week in terms of number of fruits was 2.61±1.97, servings of green leafy vegetables were 3.44±1.92, number of eggs was 1.44±1.93, servings of meat were 1.143±1.54, and servings of a low-calorie diet were 2.23±0.88. The mean SBP was 138.2 ± 22.68 mmHg, DBP was 85.7 ± 17.59 mmHg, and RBS was 257.4 ± 79.6 mg/dL. SBP was found to be negatively correlated with meat intake and low-calorie diet consumption at a p-value <0.05, but DBP and RBS were not correlated with any dietary pattern. Conclusion It can be concluded that dietary interventions of intake of less meat and low-calorie foods were correlated with SBP among patients with diabetics in the 40-50 years age group. The main purpose of treating type 2 diabetes mellitus is to prevent the patients from developing complications which can be attained through proper diet compliance.