Effectiveness of a nutrition education package on glycaemic control among children with type 1 diabetes mellitus aged 3-14 years in Uganda: study protocol for a cluster-randomized trial

Abstract

Introduction: Inadequate dietary management practices among children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) often result in preventable complications, disability, and premature deaths, and yet strict glycaemic control can help reduce the long-term complications. Furthermore, parental caregiving has also been shown to have an impact on glycaemic control and yet often a gap exists between recommended care and provided care, resulting in failure of children with T1DM meeting their treatment targets. In Uganda, no published study has been conducted to find out if nutrition education has an effect on glycaemic control and caregivers level of knowledge on general and diabetes-specific nutrition for children with T1DM. Methods: The study will be a cluster randomised controlled trial with 10 health facilities randomised to control or intervention at a ratio of 1:1. A total of 100 caregiver-child pairs will be recruited. The participants in the control group will continue to receive routine medical care, while those in the intervention group will receive routine medical care and a nutrition education package. The primary outcome is glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values. Secondary outcomes will be caregivers level of knowledge on general and diabetes-specific nutrition knowledge, childrens dietary diversity score and childrens mean intake of energy, protein, and fat. Discussion: The findings of this study will be used in improving nutrition education in T1DM among children attending diabetes clinics in Uganda. Trial registration number: The trial is registered with The Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR201902548129842).

Caregivers’ Nutrition Knowledge and Dietary Intake of Type 1 Diabetic Children Aged 3–14 Years in Uganda

“…This study was embedded in a cluster-randomized trial that aims to determine the effectiveness of a nutrition education package on glycaemic control among children with T1D aged 3-14 years in Uganda. 14 Caregiver-child dyads were consecutively recruited during routine clinic visits with the assistance of the diabetes nurse specialists based at the clinics. A caregiver was defined as the individual who provided unpaid daily care including feeding most of the time.…”