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Why Do Diabetics Fail To Adhere To Dietary Regimes?

Why do the majority of diabetic patients fail to follow their dietary regimens? Primary reason.

  • Socioeconomic; lack of funds to purchase healthy choices

  • Lack of education or knowledge about diabetes

  • Fresh vegetables and healthy food is not available.

  • Depression or mental health issues

  • Does not understand about the progression of diabetes if not managed.

  • Not willing to change or not ready to make a change.

  • Advanced age; in denial that dietary changes can make a difference.

  • Youth: The idea that they are invincible to these problems & unwilling to give up fast foods.

  • The prescribed diet was not effective.

Results are only viewable after voting.
I think the OP has maybe got the cart before the horse. Did you ever consider that T2 diabetic people get obese, rather than obese people get diabetic.(The latter being the cause celeb of lazy journalism) More over if you are telling someone else what their diet should be, it isnt their diet, so you set them up to 'fail' only in your eyes
 
The OP at this point has not responded to any of the comments or direct questions. I wonder why? I hope she comes back and replies to all the folks who made the effort to answer her question.
 
Dark Horse said:
What chemicals are used to keep Brazil nuts fresh? How do you know that it is the chemicals that are the problem rather than the Brazil nuts themselves?
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i had a reaction couldn't breathe, went to hospital, whilst there a doctor asked if I had eaten anything different, no, he then asked if I ate Brazil nuts, in any form, not shelled, shelled, covered in chocolate, I said I ate shelled ones. He then told me that there had had a huge increase in people who had eaten Brazil's coming into hospitals, so many that it wasn't a nut allergy that suddenly developed but something with the nuts itself.
Later the family GP told me that the chemicals used to keep Brazil's fresh had a paper written on it and anyone who had a reaction should never eat them again.
It is also interesting as a youngster I didn't know anyone with any nut allergy, I now know at least 10 children, so it makes you wonder is it the nuts or the chemicals, either used as pesticides and to keep them fresh for longer.
 
My husband "failed to follow" the dietary regimen he was given because it was quite clear that it would make him into a very ill man. We both went LCHF (three years ago) instead and both of us have not felt so well in years and he has totally normal sugar levels. We rejected doctor's advice BECAUSE we have a relatively high socio-economic status and are well educated, not because we lack in these areas. If the OP would like to add an option saying "I realised that the advice given was inappropriate and would damage my health", I'll happily vote.
Sally
 
I'm not in UK.... but the survey is hard to do when you haven't mentioned what exactly people aren't complying to. So I haven't answered your survey as really I could select a few of those for reasons not to follow any diet and not just diabetes specific.

Personally I eat to my meter these days. I also eat to avoid pain and choking. So I don't follow particular diets as such other than eliminating foods that cause me pain and nearly kill me (choking). But unfortunately I've had to eliminate a lot of foods from my diet as I pretty much can't eat acidic foods. I have to watch texture of foods as it doesn't take much for me to choke considering my throat and oesophagus both don't move normally.

When I was first diagnosed with diabetes I kept a food diary and was stupid enough to use the so called diabetic friendly foods at times which are full of artificial sweeteners and starch. I stopped having any of those long ago. I've tried various diets and find that eating what works for me works best in the end.

How a diabetic eats is a personal journey and I wouldn't say there is a specific diet that works for everyone.
 
Avocado Sevenfold said:
@busydiabeticmum Sorry to read about your daughter. Good that she has you looking out for her though x
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We changed her diet slightly to a lower carb one and that has sorted her out... we have completely cut out cereal and milk and replaced with natural yogurt and berries and omlette for breakfast, i think she feels more grown up having berry tea instead of milk... so all round positive result... i am just glad i found the low carb diet and this website... all the info from nhs is useless! However i dont think the op likes the responses as hasnt answered for a long time.

To the op: do you realise you have caused a great deal of offense? From an educated person who went through higher education... i would have thought they taught you how to ask a question so as to get a proper answer?
 
Wow.... ditto... and hit the nail on the head... explained it perfectly well done... just hope the op listened.

I went to my first appointment with a spreadsheet of bgl readings and was able to work out IMMEDIATELY that i knew more than her as well as the gp, was sooooooo dissapointed with the gp and that bloody stupid leaflet realised no point in going to the group if this is the advice and researched myself and found the lchf diet. Not looked back since... however as a very opinionated woman i have been able to argue round the dns who completely agree with me Lol
 
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Because they assume you are following THEIR diet, thus the people who arent and are getting bad bg results are accused of being non compliant!!!
 

Hi Mark,

As a researcher, I have no opinion, and I usually quote resources. However, I do have an opinion when it comes to my own battle with T2DM. No one is judging, Mark, and I apologize if this was construed in such a manner. I am asking for opinions, because I am wondering why we as diabetics have such a hard time making all this work in our favor! You gave me one of the most common answers, that the diet plan was ineffective because it is "****."

I agree 100% with you about the out-of-the-can dietary regimen of the ADA and the NHS. They do have good intentions, but people are so different, that not all can or will follow these plans. I approach the dietary plan with my patients in an entirely different manner and start by asking what they like and what they hate regarding food. I construct a personalized dietary plan based on the foods they love. I also ask that, if there is a family involved, that the family become involved in making a change in their diet so that other family members may benefit from a more healthy approach to eating. No body feels hungry or left out. I spend at a minimum 5 hours the first week with the patient when they are first diagnosed, and the support team provides a multitude of services to support change. Dietary change is a major change in a person's life, as you already know, and it takes more than a pamphlet on diet and a prescription to acquire a healthy change.

These stats are from a reputable resources. What is not mentioned is that 60% of the obese most likely have a prediabetic state with 30% already with T2DM. As I have said as well, it is impossible to talk about diabetes without addressing obesity.

Mark, my goodness, if your diet works, then that is great. Isn't that what we all are trying to achieve.

God's speed

Dona
azure said:
I'm not sure that the majority do fail to follow it. In the UK dieticians will suggest foods to fit in with family meals and favourites. This is free.
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With my own situation, I did find that it was more difficult to loose weight. I was so determined that I increased my activity until I started seeing a change. That is difficult when you have problems walking. Loosing that weight is an ongoing battle for us all. I also cook for the entire family, and their likes and dislikes are entirely different from mine, so my own compliance waivers when they are eating sweets and favorite recipes. Nothing easy about staying on a specific dietary regimen.
 
busydiabeticmum said:
Because they assume you are following THEIR diet, thus the people who arent and are getting bad bg results are accused of being non compliant!!!
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That is what I am trying to do is learn from those with diabetes. My point is that diabetics are not just a bunch of numbers walking around eating everything in sight. No diabetic educator regardless of their knowledge and experience can structure a life plan without knowing more about the patient, his family, emotional state and willingness to change. That is what I feel makes the biggest difference is that admitting that people are all different in lifestyle, family, emotional and physical state, and that no one fits into a category of the "standard diabetic."
 
azure said:
I'm not sure that the majority do fail to follow it. In the UK dieticians will suggest foods to fit in with family meals and favourites. This is free.
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Hi Azure,

All my services have and will remain to be free. I started a diabetic mission to help an ethnic population living in poverty and who have an enormous rate of people young and old loosing limbs, sight and their lifes.

I am searching for knowledge and opinions as to why worldwide people with diabetes fail to be successful in therapeutic treatment regimens. In speaking to my peers, and looking at the research, over 50% do not follow their prescribed dietary menus, and even though successful initially, the weight is slowly regained. Regardless of low-carb, low-fat, low-calorie approaches, dietary recommendations are not as effective for most. Many are never able to restrict proportions (like me) and others cannot avoid heavy starches or sweets.
 
@datkins65 Perhaps you are too nice to your patients. One of the drivers in this household is that we hold our GP in some degree of contempt (we're not the only ones, but in a small place, under the NHS, there is little choice), so showing the bar-steward that you can do the impossible gives a level of satisfaction far in excess of that provided by a plate of chips.
Sally
 
donnellysdogs said:
Or the average human!!
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Ms. Donnelly...Love your photo!

I have over 20 years experience in diabetes education, 42 years in advanced nutrition and critical care nursing. I am very happy to learn from any and every person or patient, and I realize that none of us have the key to success in treatment, however, we still can learn from one another.

You are correct that many of these diets are unhealthy. As an example, It is very unhealthy to cut carbs lower than 130 grams a day. Without knowing that carbs are essential in brain metabolism, energy and immunity, many have cut carbs down so much that they becomes depressed or physically ill. Dietary requirements are individual and should be fulfilled when creating a plan with the patient.
 

This is true. I am happy to provide any advise and share any experience with any of the forum members. Diabetes is worldwide. My mission is not in the US, in fact, it is on a past UK held country. The US is failing to reach out to minority and ethnic populations, and they fail to realize the multitude of obstacles an individual faces trying to maintain health.
 

Oh dear, you have a lot to learn about brain metabolism, energy and immunity. Fats do a better job than carbs in these respects. You say you are a researcher, so I humbly suggest you do some research on ketogenic diets.
 
I have remained a distant observer on this thread, mainly because I'm not diabetic in the normal type category, if you can call diabetes normal!

However, has the op taken into account that quite a few T2 diabetics have hyperinsulinaemia first, then insulin resistance, T2 is followed after obesity.
Insulin imbalance causes visceral fat, which causes NAFL and liver function abnormalities. And so on!
Only glucose monitor tests and hba1c are taken. Not the level of insulin.
The only way to treat hyperinsulinaemia is by diet, with the help of certain meds if necessary. Some diabetic meds are of no use because they increase the levels of insulin, where there is too much already, this can cause more problems.
Would you increase the insulin tests despite the costs?
Because the NHS won't!

Treating the insulin resistance is the right way to treat T2, and the only way I know is by diet and a low carb approach. Many of those on insulin could be saved from having to inject if the approach was different to treating new patients.

Do you think, that having carbs is necessary in someone who has an intolerance to them? Would you justify your answer, if you do think so?

Maybe more questions later.
 

Compliance is following a prescribed diet which should be created with the client and family with the assistance of the diabetic educator. Often times, people continue to eat sweets, or foods that drive up the blood sugar and staying within the proportion limits seems to be the most difficult.

I sounds you have found your perfect diet. Personally, I love the Mediterranean diet and I have found by changing it up and staying active, I can avoid having to take Metformin and keep my HbA1c in the low 5's. (By the by...labs values are reported differently in US.) The baked potato for me spikes my blood sugar, so I cannot add potato. I can have whole grain pita bread and lean chicken (3 oz) and salad vegetables which maintains that even keel I seek to maintain! Some folks can tolerate high glycemic foods in moderation, and others cannot.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Oh dear, you have a lot to learn about brain metabolism, energy and immunity. Fats do a better job than carbs in these respects. You say you are a researcher, so I humbly suggest you do some research on ketogenic diets.
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Of course fats are essential. I was not talking about fats, but diets that strip carbs from the diet. I am totally aware of ketogenic diets, and unfortunately for patients with renal impairment, this cannot be an option. This is also one of the diets that works great for some folks, but not so for others. How long have you been on this diet? I know weight loss can really be fast, and my question is has the weight loss been maintained?
 
Well Dona the diet that works for me has virtually no carbohydrate in it so it sounds as if you think I am depressed or physically ill of which I am neither. I think you need to educate yourself a bit more before you give people incorrect dietary advice. Until I read your response above I was prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt but after that I'm afraid you are wrong (in my opinion).
 
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