"The impact of dietary habits on metabolic outcomes in patients with Diabetes Mellitus in Uganda"

Diabetes poses a growing public health risk in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), its prevalence is projected to increase by 142%, reaching approximately 60 million people by 2050, making it the fastest-growing region globally in terms of diabetes burden. This study is a post-hoc data analysis of the study «Prevalence and determinants of steatotic liver disease among patients with diabetes in rural Uganda», conducted by the Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology and CUAMM. The current analyses examine the dataset from a different perspective, focusing specifically on dietary habits among patients with diabetes and their potential role in disease management and metabolic outcomes. No additional data collection was performed for the present study. The analysis revealed that animal-based proteins (25.4%) and complex carbohydrates (25.2%) accounted for the largest proportions of the diet. However, the fiber intake was also significant, accounting for 19.9%, which suggests a meaningful contribution from plant-based foods. In the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) the positive correlation between high fat, salt, meat and animal protein consumption and high BMI, high cholesterol levels were detected. The correlation matrix indicated that higher animal protein intake was positively associated with cholesterol levels, body mass index (BMI), and systolic blood pressure. Conversely, greater engagement in non-occupational physical activity was significantly associated with lower values of these metabolic and anthropometric measures. These results highlight the importance of further acknowledgement of healthy dietary patterns in the population. They also emphasize the need for targeted nutritional education and lifestyle interventions aimed at reducing the risk of chronic diseases.