Nutritional profile of diabetic women at two months postpartum.

BACKGROUND

The mother's diet may have an impact on the quantity and/or quality of the milk produced. The aim of our study was to evaluate the nutritional profile of a group of diabetic women consulting at two months postpartum.

METHODS

We conducted a descriptive observational cross-sectional study in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes followed at the National Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology of Tunis. Each patient underwent an anamnesis, a clinical examination, and completed a food questionnaire.

RESULTS

Fifty-two patients were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 35.4±0.4 years, with extremes ranging from 23 to 44 years. The majority (80%) had type 2 diabetes, while 20% had type 1 diabetes, diagnosed before pregnancy. We noted exclusive and partial breastfeeding rates of 44% and 33%, respectively. Women who exclusively breastfed their babies had a lower caloric intake compared to women who did not breastfeed or partially breastfed their babies(p<0.001). Nearly half of the women had a hypercarbohydrate and hyperprotein diet, regardless of breastfeeding modality. Half of the non-breastfeeding women had a hyperlipidic diet, whereas only 25% of the breastfeeding women had an excessive lipid intake. Most patients had an insufficient intake of magnesium, potassium, vitamin B9, dietary fiber, and water.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight the importance of nutritional education for all breastfeeding diabetic women.