FOOD INTAKE AND BODY MASS INDEX OF PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS FROM AN OUTPATIENT CLINIC IN SÃO PAULO

Background and objectives: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus is increasing in all populations worldwide. This increase is accompanied by the rising rates of obesity and overweight observed over the past decade. For this reason, the analysis of the body mass index (BMI) may serve as a powerful tool in the assessment of the risk factor for Diabetes. As overweight is directly related to the to lifestyle and eating habits, a better understanding of food intake in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus is essential in order to correct problems, stimulate healthy habits and foster weight loss of these population. This study objective is to classify the population using the BMI scale and correlate it to food intake. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study with primary data collection, sampling done by convenience, approved by the Ethics and Research Committee of Centro Universitario Sao Camilo, Brazil. A structured questionnaire to characterize food intake was developed for this research and applied to 82 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, both male and female, attending an outpatient clinic in Sao Paulo. BMI was classified according to the World Health Organization. Weight and height were self-reported. Data analyses were performed using descriptive statistic, the Quisquare test with a level of significance of p