Abstract:
Hospitals provide therapeutic diets with appropriate nutrients to maximize patient benefits, especially in diabetes treatment and management. However, the actual intake of nutrients in Jordanian hospitals and adherence to recommended intake values have not been thoroughly investigated. This study assessed the energy, macronutrients, and micronutrients in meals served to diabetic patients in three Jordanian hospitals, comparing the actual nutrient content to the relative recommended values based on the dietary recommended intake (DRI). The software, ESHA (Elizabeth Stewart Hands and Associates) food processor was used to calculate the macro and micronutrients.
The results showed that several dietary recommendations made by the National Institutes of Health and WHO in their DASH guidelines were not followed by Jordanian hospitals. Based on “Choose My Plate” recommendations, the average number of diabetic diet servings in three hospitals per day was 4.2 cups of vegetables, 1.4 cups of fruits, 2.8 cups of dairy, 4.1 oz of grains and 3.8 oz of protein. The mean content of energy in the diet was 1565.2 kcal. Protein, fat and carbohydrate contribution to the total energy were within the acceptable macronutrient distribution range (AMDR) in the diet. The average sodium content of the meals was 3819.7mg, which was above the recommended level. The average amounts of potassium, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus were 3510.1mg , 13.6mg, 300.2mg, and 1638.5mg, respectively, which are lower than the recommended values. In conclusion, hospital menus do not design diets to meet dietary recommendations. To control type 2 diabetes, hospitals should provide therapeutic meals prepared to meet regulations. To assist diabetic patients in achieving blood glucose goals, medical care must be more stringent during hospitalization and customized medical nutrition therapy.
Keywords: Diet Therapy, Type 2 Diabetes, Diabetic Diet, Hospitals, Nutrients
