Higher fiber intake is associated with lower blood pressure levels in patients with type 1 diabetes

Objective: The present investigation sought to evaluate the potential association between dietary fiber intake and blood pressure (BP) in adult patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 111 outpatients with T1D from Porto Alegre, Brazil. Patients were predominantly male (56%) and white (88%), with a mean age of 40 ± 10 years, diabetes duration of 18 ± 9 years, BMI 24.8 ± 3.85 kg/m2, and HbA1c 9.0 ± 2.0%. After clinical and laboratory evaluation, dietary intake was evaluated by 3-day weighed-diet records, whose reliability was confirmed by 24-h urinary nitrogen output. Patients were stratified into two groups according to adequacy of fiber intake in relation to American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommendations: below recommended daily intake (< 14g fiber/1000 kcal) or at/above recommended intake (≥ 14g/1000 kcal). Results: Patients in the higher fiber intake group exhibited significantly lower systolic (SBP) (115.9 ± 12.2 vs 125.1 ± 25.0 mmHg, p = 0.016) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (72.9 ± 9.2 vs 78.5 ± 9.3 mmHg, p = 0.009), higher energy intake (2164.0 ± 626.0 vs 1632.8 ± 502.0 kcal, p < 0.001), and lower BMI (24.4 ± 3.5 vs 26.2 ± 4.8, p = 0.044). Linear regression modelling, adjusted for age, energy intake, sodium intake, and BMI, indicated that higher fiber intake was associated with lower SBP and DBP levels. No significant between-group differences were observed with regard to duration of diabetes, glycemic control, insulin dosage, or presence of hypertension, nephropathy, or retinopathy. Conclusion: We conclude that fiber consumption meeting or exceeding current ADA recommendations is associated with lower SBP and DBP in patients with T1D

Carbohydrate counting as a strategy to optimize glycemic control in type 1 diabetes mellitus

Objective: The objective of this study was to verify the impact of carbohydrate counting (CC) on glycemic control and body weight variation (primary and secondary outcomes, respectively) between consultations in patients with diabetes mellitus (T1D) followed at a tertiary hospital in southern Brazil in a public health system environment. We also sought to investigate CC adherence. Materials and methods: This retrospective cohort study included 232 patients with T1D who underwent nutritional monitoring at a referral hospital for diabetes care between 2014 and 2018. To assess primary and secondary outcomes, data from 229 patients, 49 of whom underwent CC during this period and 180 individuals who used fixed doses of insulin, were analyzed. The impact of CC on glycemic control was assessed with the mean glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level at all consultations during the followup period. Results: In the model adjusted for the most confounders (except pregnancy), the mean HbA1c was better in the CC group (8.66 ± 0.4% vs. 9.36 ± 0.39%; p = 0.016), and body weight variation was lower (0.13 ± 0.28 kg vs. 0.53 ± 0.24 kg; p = 0.024). Adherence to CC was reported in 69.2% of consultations. Conclusion: CC optimized the glycemic control of individuals with T1D, resulting in less weight variation than in the fixed insulin dose group, which indicates that CC is an important care strategy for these patients