Assessment of diet diversity among working women in Mumbai and its association with diabetes risk as determined by the Indian diabetes risk score: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Abstract Aims and Objective: Diet diversity is defined as the number of food groups consumed over a reference period and the effect of diet diversity on diabetes risk is controversial in different populations. The purpose of this study was to determine an association between diet diversity and diabetes risk and identify a trend among working women in Mumbai. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among working women in Mumbai. Working women of the age 21‐50 years were eligible for participation. A self-designed questionnaire with four sections of questions on socio-demographic, anthropometric, diabetes risk determination by Indian Diabetes Risk Score and dietary data where diet diversity was determined using Modified Women’s Diet Diversity Score (MWDDS) was administered. Results: Two hundred and one working women participated and it was found that the mean diabetes risk score was 47.9 ± 18.3 with 89.5% of the population having a moderate to high risk. The mean diet diversity score was 4.2% and 94.5% of the population had a low to moderate diet diversity score. As the diet diversity increases, on the one hand the percentage of people having a high risk (31.1%, 36.6%, 45.5%) of diabetes also increases but on the other hand the percentage of those having a low risk (13.3%, 10.3%, 0%) of diabetes decreases, but this is not statistically significant (P 0.711). Conclusion: There was no significant association between diet diversity and diabetes risk; however, a significant positive association was seen between energy and nutrient consumption and diabetes risk, as well as between diet diversity and energy and nutrient consumption.