A study was conducted on 40 adults (male and female) ranging from 40–60 years and suffering from non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). The subjects were divided into control and experimental groups. Nutrition counseling was imparted only to the experimental subjects for 3 months. Its impact was assessed in terms of their dietary intake, anthropometric measurement, biochemical parameters and gain in knowledge. Before nutrition counseling, daily consumption of protective foods like pulses, leafy and other vegetables and fruits by NIDDM patients was found inadequate. But after nutrition counseling mean daily intake of energy yielding foods such as cereals, roots and tubers, fats and oils and sugar and jaggery and milk and milk products decreased which resulted in significantly lower mean daily intakes of nutrients the mean daily intake of protein, fibre, riboflavin, niacin, iron, folic acid, magnesium and zinc was significantly improved as per their suggested intakes. Increased consumption of protective foods, decreased energy and fat intake by the experimental diabetic subjects might contribute in reduction of their body weight and BMI. Fasting blood glucose and post prandial glucose was reduced significantly by 16, 10 and 16, 14%, respectively. Similarly, significant reduction was also noticed in lipid profile and liver enzymes. After nutrition counseling, majority of the experimental subjects had adequate nutrition knowledge.
NIDDM subjects, Nutrition counseling, Food and nutrient intake, Biochemical assessment, Anthropometric measurements, Knowledge assessment
