Lectura, uso e interpretación de las etiquetas nutricionales en pacientes con diabetes e hipertensión en Lima, Perú

Abstract

Introduction: The importance of nutritional labeling has become more relevant in recent years, given the increase in overweight, obesity and noncommunicable diseases (hypertension, diabetes, etc.) that afflict the Peruvian population as well as other countries in Latin America and the world, with an increase that is in direct proportion, in recent years, with the massive elaboration of industrialized food products, some of whose components are harmful to health. The proper use and interpretation of nutritional labels in patients with diabetes and hypertension is important for optimal dietary control, particularly in the intake of sodium and sugar from packaged foods. Objective: To determine the frequency of reading, use and interpretation of nutritional labels in patients with diabetes and hypertension in a national reference center in Lima, Peru. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study of observational design in 200 patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Arterial Hypertension. Interpretation was measured using a test from two nutritional labels of packaged foods and the frequency of reading and use of nutritional label information through a survey. 90 years, average age 61.3 years (SD: 14.4), 60.5% were women, 36% had diabetes, 82.5 had hypertension, and 41.5% had a college education. 27.5% reported reading frequently, 19.5% used label information for high fiber foods and 30.5% of the total respondents knew how to interpret. Conclusions: We obtained a low percentage of patients who read and therefore used the nutrition label information. Likewise, a low percentage of the total number of patients who participated in the survey interpret nutritional information labels. Therefore, the information provided in the nutritional label should be simple, clear and easy to understand given that the proper healthy diet in diabetic and hypertensive patients is one of the pillars in their treatment.