Abitudini alimentari dei pazienti con diabete di tipo 2: Impatto delle tradizioni gastronomiche regionali. Uno studio di popolazione

Despite all efforts, nutritional guidelines for people with diabetes are still not widely applied in clinical practice. Among the various possible reasons, there is the fact that eating habits are greatly influenced by local traditions. We investigated the dietary habits of diabetic patients from Northern, Central and Southern Italy, to see to what extent local gastronomic habits affect compliance with nutritional recommendations. We studied 1786 patients with type 2 diabetes, whose habitual diet was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire (EPIC - European Prospective Investigation on Cancer and Nutrition). The energy intake was similar in the three areas, but the consumption of total lipids, saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids was significantly lower in Southern and Central Italy than in the Northern regions (p < 0.05). In contrast, the consumption of total carbohydrates and fiber was higher in Southern and Central Italy than in the North (p < 0.05). Higher intake of meat, salami and animal fats in Northern Italy accounted for the differences in fat intake. For carbohydrates and fiber the difference was explained by the higher intake of wholemeal bread and pulses in Southern Italy. Compliance with dietary recommendations was generally unsatisfactory. Consumption of saturated fatty acids was higher than recommended, and fiber intake much lower. In conclusion, dietary recommendations are poorly observed by patients with type 2 diabetes throughout the country, and eating habits are significantly influenced by the local gastronomic background. This is important for identifying educational measures aimed at improving adherence to nutritional guidelines.