The Relationship between Perceived Food Environment and Glycemic Control Among Malaysian Diabetic Patients

The perceptions of diabetic patients on their food environment influence their dietary choices and would impact glycemic control. The main aim of this study was to determine any relationship between perceived food environment and glycemic control among diabetic patients.

A total of 304 diabetic patients were interviewed using the validated Malay version of the Perceived Nutrition Environment Measures Survey (NEMS-P) in Kuala Terengganu capital city. The data were analyzed using linear regression analysis to determine the relationship between the perceived food environments and glycemic level.

There was no significant relationship between perceived food environment scores with glycemic control. The significant factors include age, marital status, smoking, and duration of diabetes when other factors were adjusted. With each additional year, the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level was lower by as much as 0.05% (95% CI: -0.075, -0.025; P value: 0.001). The married and divorced/separated individual had a higher level of HbA1c by 1.42% (95% CI: 0.407, 2.429; P value: 0.006) and 1.20% (95% CI: 0.063, 2.331; P value: 0.039), respectively, compared to unmarried individuals. The smokers had a higher HbA1c level by 1.25% (95% CI: 0.377, 2.128; P value: 0.005) compared to non-smokers. With an additional year of diabetes duration, the HbA1c level was higher by as much as 0.10% (95% CI: 0.052, 0.137; P value: 0.001).

There was no relationship between perceived food environment and glycemic control in this study. Instead, there was a significant relationship between age, marital status, smoking, and duration of diabetes with the glycemic level.