Relationship between dietary intakes and blood glucose and lipid concentrations in the usual time and the Chinese New Year period in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

The study investigated the relationship between normal dietary intake and blood glucose and lipid concentrations and intake over the Chinese New Year period in normal, mild hyperglycemia and severe hyperglycemia subjects. Samples were 22 normal subjects and 62 patients with NIDDM in Feb 2000, and June 2000, respectively. This approach was proceeded by a 24-hour dietary recall for collecting subjects' dietary data, measuring body height and weight and determining fasting plasma glucose, hemoglobin A_1C, insulin, cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. The results show that there is a significant increase in total caloric intake, protein and fat in all three groups over the Chinese New Year holiday (p <0.05). There was a significant decrease in carbohydrate intake during the Chinese New Year. This change in dietary intake increased diabetic patients' plasma triglyceride levels but plasma cholesterol did not change. During the Chinese New Year, diabetic patients use of medicines to control blood sugar, hemoglobin A_1C and insulin did not change.