Changes in Nutritional Education for Diabetes Patients During Past 30 Years: The Results of a Questionnaire Survey in 2012 Fiscal Year (4th Report)

Abstract

The results of four questionnaire surveys performed every 10 years since 1982 were compared to examine the changes in nutritional education for diabetics in the last 30 years. The fiscal year (FY) 2012 survey included answers from 915 of 1,961 medical facilities that specialize in diabetes treatment around Japan. Employment for national registered dieticians or dieticians and individual teaching for diabetics have increased over the last 30 years. The employment rate for a Certified Diabetes Educator of Japan (CDEJ) has increased to 62.9 % from 52.1 %, the rate when the CDEJ system was established 10 years ago. The percentage of facilities that considered an "explanation of the Food Exchange List (Japan Diabetes Society)" to be time-consuming decreased to 28.0 %, compared to 37.6 %, 58.8 %, and 75.0 % in the surveys performed 10, 20, and 30 years ago, respectively. This result shows that knowledge and motivation among national registered dieticians or dieticians have improved with the establishment of the CDEJ system, resulting in greater awareness of the importance of nutritional education in diabetes treatment.