Diet and day-to-day variability in a sample of Spanish adults with IDDM or NIDDM. The Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group of the Spanish Diabetes Association (GSEDNu).

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the nutritional pattern, including the day-to-day variability in the macronutrients consumption, in Spanish adults with IDDM or NIDDM.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The diabetes Nutrition and Complications Trial (DNCT) is a prospective multicentre study designed for finding out which is the nutritional behaviour of diabetic subjects in Spain, based on a diet record that patients prospectively fill in for 7 days. Day-to-day variability in nutrients intake is given as the mean of the mean standard deviations of the daily macronutrients intake, as well as the mean of the mean coefficients of variation. Glycaemic control was assessed by measuring the HbA1c during the study period and the mean of the 3 previous determinations. Data of the first 60 patients (30 IDDM, M/F 15/15, 30 NIDDM, M/F 15/15) are shown in this paper.

RESULTS: The overall energy intake of Spanish subjects with IDDM or NIDDM, expressed as median, are 1978 and 1707 Kcal/ day, respectively, were distributed as follows (IDDM and NIDDM): Carbohydrate 36.5 and 37.4%, protein 17.9 and 20.0%, fat 41.7 and 36.8% (saturated 14.7 and 11.6%, polyunsaturated 5.0 and 4.2%, monounsaturated 22.1 and 20.8%, saturated/total fat ratio 0.29 and 0.26, cholesterol 279 and 245 mg), alcohol 2.6 and 4.2%, dietary fibre 19 and 15 gr. Women received less energy than men and subjects with NIDDM ate less than subjects with IDDM (both p < 0.05). The means of the standard deviations of the average carbohydrate intake were 37.0 +/- 20.1 and 28.9 +/- 20.9 g., whereas the means of the coefficients of variation were 18.3 +/- 8.5 and 15.5%, expressed as the average percentage of carbohydrates intake for both IDDM and NIDDM subjects, respectively. There was no correlation between the day-to-day variability in carbohydrate intake and HbA1c.

CONCLUSIONS: Diet of diabetic patients in Spain is low in carbohydrate and high in fat content, mainly monounsaturated fat. Day-to-day variability in carbohydrate intake is not associated with the glycaemic control.