Consumption of fish and seafood in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus according to nutritional status in Copiapó (Chile)
Authors: Rojas-Calisto J. , Fernández-Cao JC. , Doepking C. , Castro MJ. , Delgado J. , Cayo V. , Balboa K. , Correa G. , Garrido V. , Cuadra C. , Quinteros M. , Rojas C. , Bustos M. 
Published: December 2024

Chile has the third highest prevalence of diabetes mellitus America, with 12.7% of the population aged 20-79 years, whose 90% have type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)(1). Diet plays an important role in the management of this disease(2). According to the 2016-17 National Health Survey in Chile, only 9.2% of the population consume fish and seafood (9.5% women and 8.8% men)(3). However, no studies have investigated the frequency of fish and seafood consumption in T2DM population from Chile, or whether consumption differs between normal weight, overweight, and obese subjects. This study aims to compare the frequency of fish and seafood consumption in normal weight, overweight, and obese subjects with T2DM in primary health care centres (PHCC) in CopiapóChile.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with T2DM, of both sexes, aged 3065 years, from the CODIACO cohort, recruited in PHCCs, during 2023. Pregnant and lactating women, diabetic neuropathy or nephropathy, cancer, and severe inflammatory or infectious diseases patients were excluded. Participants were administered a food consumption frequency questionnaire (never/rarely, occasionally and usually) of oily and white fish, and seafood. The nutritional status (normal-weight, overweight, and obese) was defined based on WHO criteria(4). The results on the frequency of food consumption were expressed as percentages and the age of the participants as mean and standard deviation. Chi-square test was used to study the relationship between the frequency of fish and seafood consumption and nutritional status. A Pvalue less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The CODIACO project was approved by the Scientific Research Ethics Committee of the Universidad de Atacama. Project funded by FONDECYT N°11180794.

The mean age of the 153 participants, 106 women and 47 men, was 55.45 ± 7.56 years. Of the participants 9.8% were normal-weight, 32.0% were overweight and 58.2% were obese. Those who reported an usually consumption of oily fish according normal-weight (53.3%), overweight (28.6%) and obese patients (29.2%), were significant (P = 0.021). From the total number of subjects who never/rarely consumed oily fish, 2.2 % were normal-weight, 26.1% were overweight and 71.7% were obese. Regarding white fish, it was usually consumed by 46.7% of normal-weight, 32.7% of overweight and 29.2% of obese patients, but not significant (P = 0.059). Furthermore, white fish was never/rarely consumed by 5.1% of normal-weight, 23.1% of overweight and 71.8 % of obese subjects. Finally, seafood consumption reported was not significant (P = 0.571). Those who declare a never/rarely seafood consumption, 6.0% had a normal-weight, 30% were overweight and 64% were obese subjects.

The results suggest that obese patients with T2DM in the PHCCs of Copiapó consume significantly less fish, especially oily fish, than normal-weight and overweight diabetic patients. A better oily fish consumption could be a protector factor to prevent obsesity in T2DM.