Effects of nutrition education on dietary quality and prediabetes-related metabolic parameters in female University students

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of nutrition education on the Healthy Eating Index-2020 (HEI-2020), Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI), Dietary Carbohydrate Quality Index (CQI), Low-Carbohydrate Diet Score (LCDS), Glycemic Index (GI), and Glycemic Load (GL). Additionally, it assessed its impact on fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin levels, Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA-IR), and Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI), which are biomarkers associated with prediabetes. The case-control study was conducted with female university students in the case (n = 39) and control (n = 37) groups who received nutrition education; dietary components were calculated over 24-hour dietary recall. Findings revealed that HEI-2020 scores were significantly higher (p = 0.006); insulin (p = 0.035), glucose (p = 0.023) and HOMA-IR (p = 0.026) levels were lower, and QUICKI values were higher (p = 0.025) in the case group. In adjusted models, higher tertiles of PHDI (T2-AOR = 12.039; 95%CI: 2.266–63.866), HEI-2020 (T2-AOR = 0.002; 95%CI: 0–0.462 and T3-AOR = 0.010; 95%CI: 0–0.457), and CQI (T2-AOR = 64.713; 95%CI: 4.585–91.775) were associated with lower odds of insulin resistance. Furthermore, a positive association was observed between dietary GI and the odds of insulin resistance (T2-AOR = 7.286; 95%CI: 2.349–52.6054). It was determined that nutrition education improved dietary quality and had positive effects on prediabetes-related metabolic parameters.

The dietary quality of the intervention group receiving nutrition education was found to be higher compared to the control group.
Fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin and insulin resistance levels, which are important prediabetes-related metabolic parameters, were lower in the intervention group.
There was a negative association between dietary quality indices and the odds of insulin resistance.
There was a positive relationship between the diet glycemic index and the odds of insulin resistance.

The dietary quality of the intervention group receiving nutrition education was found to be higher compared to the control group.
Fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin and insulin resistance levels, which are important prediabetes-related metabolic parameters, were lower in the intervention group.
There was a negative association between dietary quality indices and the odds of insulin resistance.
There was a positive relationship between the diet glycemic index and the odds of insulin resistance.