Skills for Change: Nutrition Education Program for Emirati Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

Skills for Change: Implementation of a Community-based Diabetes Nutrition Education Program for Emirati Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

The "Skills for Change" Diabetes Nutrition Education Program was a one-year, community-based conducted in Ambulatory Health Care Services health centers in Al Ain. The project involved nutrition education to improve blood glucose control, diet and physical activity levels of Emirati adults with type 2 diabetes.

Despite the high prevalence of diabetes and its complications in the UAE, very few diabetes education intervention studies have been conducted in a representative population in the country. The Skills for Change Program was a one-year, community-based, cluster randomized study involving Emirati adults with type 2 diabetes. We implemented a behavioral lifestyle intervention to improve glycemic control, food choices, and physical activity levels and to decrease sedentarity. The project was culturally adapted to Emirati adults with type 2 diabetes and was driven by theoretical principles of behavior change and education to enhance intervention effectiveness.

Inclusion Criteria:

• United Arab Emirates national
• Type 2 diabetes
• Adults: Male and female
• Age: 20-70 years
• Attending one of the 7 health centers in Al Ain managed by the Ambulatory Healthcare Services.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Type 1 diabetes
• Age >70 Years
• Medical conditions that prevent active participation in the program, based on recommendation of the attending physicians
• Participating in other nutrition intervention programs