title: Effectiveness of medical nutrition treatment delivered by dietitians on glycaemic outcomes and lipid profiles of Arab, Omani patients with Type 2 diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this randomized controlled trial we evaluated the effectiveness of medical nutritional therapy on Arab patients with Type 2 diabetes in Oman delivered by a dietitian.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with Type 2 diabetes (n = 170) were randomly assigned to a group receiving usual nutritional care (n = 85) or a group receiving practice guidelines nutritional care (n = 85). Anthropometric (weight, height, BMI and waist circumference) and biochemical (fasting blood glucose, HbA1c ) variables were measured at baseline and after each appointment. Patients were given 1-3 appointments with a dietitian over 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Those in the group receiving practice guidelines nutritional care (n = 85) had significant changes in HbA(1c) (-0.8%, P = 0.001), fasting plasma glucose (-1.3 mmol\l, P = 0.003) and weight (-5.1 kg, P = 0.05), whereas the patients in the usual nutritional care group (n = 85) had no significant improvements in either HbA(1c) (-0.4%, P = 0.248) or fasting plasma glucose (-0.2 mmol/l, P = 0.638) during the same period. We also found a significant difference between the group receiving practice guidelines nutritional care and the usual nutritional care group, respectively, in waist circumference (96.9 ± 7.9 vs. 100.0 ± 8.7 cm, P = 0.019), triglycerides levels (1.42 ± 0.58 vs. 1.98 ± 0.96 mmol\l, P = 0.001), cholesterol levels (5.1 ± 1.0 vs. 5.5 ± 0.9 mmol/l, P = 0.009) and LDL cholesterol levels (3.58 ± 0.98 vs. 3.89 ± 0.98 mmol/l, P = 0.046).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical nutrition therapy provided by dietitians to Arab patients with Type 2 diabetes in Oman resulted in significant improvements in anthropometric and biochemical outcomes in both the usual nutritional care group and the group receiving practice guidelines nutritional care. Subjects with Type 2 diabetes tended to do better with practice guidelines nutritional care than with usual nutritional care. Ongoing medical counselling in nutrition by a trained dietitian is important for better long-term metabolic control.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-khod, Oman, Malaysia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Shookri
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Khor
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Loke
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Maskari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018912:Arabs; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009850:Oman / Q000453:epidemiology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D008055:Lipids