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The increasing prevalence of older adults with diabetes has become a major social burden. Diabetes, frailty, and cognitive dysfunction are closely related to the mechanisms of aging. Insulin resistance, arteriosclerosis, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction may be common mechanisms shared by frailty and cognitive impairment. Hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, obesity, vascular factors, physical inactivity, and malnutrition are important risk factors for cognitive impairment and frailty in older adults with diabetes. The impact of nutrients on health outcomes varies with age; thus, shifting diet therapy strategies from the treatment of obesity/metabolic syndrome to frailty prevention may be necessary in patients with diabetes who are over 75 years of age, have frailty or sarcopenia, and experience malnutrition. For the prevention of frailty, optimal energy intake, sufficient protein and vitamin intake, and healthy dietary patterns should be recommended. The treatment of diabetes after middle age should include the awareness of proper glycemic control aimed at extending healthy life expectancy with proper nutrition, exercise, and social connectivity. Nutritional therapy in combination with exercise, optimal glycemic and metabolic control, and social participation/support for frailty prevention can extend healthy life expectancy and maintain quality of life in older adults with diabetes mellitus.

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AbstractIntroductionAccording to diabetes care standards nutrition therapy should be an integral part of diabetes management, and all individuals with diabetes should be referred to a registered dietitian for nutrition therapy at—or soon after—diagnosis and for ongoing follow-up. There is limited international data that indicate that a large percentage of people with diabetes have not received structured diabetes education and have not visited a dietitian. The aim of this study was to assess the involvement of dietitians in diabetes care in Greece.Materials and MethodsAll adult diabetic patients admitted to a secondary care general hospital in Greece during 30 consecutive days were included in the study. Patients admitted in the ICU, CICU, day clinics and hemodialysis patients were excluded. Data were obtained by personal interviews using a 40 item questionnaire which included 10 questions regarding number of visits to dietitians for diabetes management, whether patients were referred by their doctors or sought dietary advice by their own, reasons for visiting a dietitian, goal achievement and patient satisfaction.ResultsIn total 124 patients (68 males and 56 females) with diabetes were admitted to the hospital during the study period (4 type 1, 114 type 2 and 6 pregnancy diabetes). Data were obtained from 3 (22.8 ± 6 yrs, 26.1 ± 5.7kg/m2,8.3 ± 5.9 yrs with diabetes),105 (76.6 ± 11.3 yrs, 28.0 ± 5.3 kg/m2, 12.8 ± 9.3 yrs with diabetes), and 5 (32.6 ± 4.4 yrs, 28.5 ± 4.0 kg/m2) patients with type 1, type 2 and pregnancy diabetes respectively. Two out of 3 type 1 diabetes and 1 out of 5 patients with pregnancy diabetes interviewed reported to have been referred to a dietitian by their doctor. Only 5.7% (6 patients) of type 2 diabetes patients reported to have been referred to a dietitian by their doctor and another 5.7% have visited a dietitian on their own initiative. Five out of 6 referrals were at diabetes diagnosis. The number of encounters with a dietitian ranged from 1 to 24 with patients seeking to loose weight having the greater number of encounters. Of type 2 diabetes patients 94.3% did not receive lifestyle advice before commencing diabetes medication whereas 25% did not receive any dietary advice by any health professional even after starting medication.ConclusionsIn our cohort the majority of diabetes patients had not received dietary counseling by a dietitian, whereas about one fourth of type 2 diabetes patients had not received any dietary advice.

COVID-19 related restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus result in changes in daily routines and physical activity which can have a negative effect on eating and health habits. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with diabetes and their nutrition and health behaviours. A survey conducted in July 2020 included 124 individuals with type 1 (<i>n</i> = 90) and 2 (<i>n</i> = 34) diabetes mellitus from Poland. To assess nutritional and health behaviours, an online questionnaire covering basic information, anthropometric data, and details regarding physical activity, eating, and hygiene habits was used. Almost 40% of all respondents with type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) stated that their disease self-management had significantly improved. Over 60% of all participants declared that they had started eating more nutritious and regular meals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Enhanced hygiene, in particular, during the period, a statistically significant increase in hand sanitiser use was reported by respondents (18% vs. 82%, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). The study demonstrated that the pandemic had a significant impact on the behaviour of patients with DM. Improved disease self-management and making healthy, informed food and hygiene choices were observed.