Dietary goal attainment measures and psychosocial factors among Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites with type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes education programs need improved measures of goal setting for dietary control of diabetes. Additionally, measures of patient experiences with dietary goal setting are needed to better prepare patients for diabetes self-management. Measures of dietary goals and strategies were investigated via survey of 100 Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites with type 2 diabetes at a community clinic. Analyses tested novel goal measures as stages of change and goal attainment with a food plan compared to a traditional measure of food plan adherence. Ethnic groups varied in some reported experiences with goal setting education and goal attainment, but did not differ in most clinical characteristics of diabetes. Results indicated that different measures of goal setting vary in their psychosocial predictors, suggesting changes in how health care providers use and monitor goal setting for patients. At the time this research was conducted, Dr. Briggs Early was a doctoral candidate in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Washington State University. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Nutrition at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences - College of Osteopathic Medicine, and a certified diabetes educator, and insulin pump trainer in Yakima, Washington.