We examined 218 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus to
determine which dietary behaviors were affected by diabetic nephropathy. Diabetic ne-
phropathy was divided into three clinical stages : normoalbuminuria, microalbuminuria, and
overt proteinuria. Information on dietary habits concerning energy intake, protein intake
and salt consumption was observed among different levels of nephropathy. Inadequate
behavioral lifestyle was most pronounced in patients with microalbuminuria, and whose
health was disturbed by high protein intake and high salt consumption. These findings were
obtained for the adults, but not for the elderly. Results in this study provide the basic data
for dietary intervention for diabetic patients
