Study to examine social support, healthy eating link in older black men with diabetes

A new study to be conducted at the University of Alabama will examine whether social support can contribute to a healthier diet and better glycemic control among older black men, according to a university press release.

Loretta T. Lee, PhD, assistant professor at the Birmingham School of Nursing at the University of Alabama, will conduct the study with funding from a 2015 Deep South Resource Center for Minority Aging pilot grant award, examining the association between social support, intuitive eating and glycemic control among older black men with type 2 diabetes.

“We hypothesize that social support, particularly the presence of a spouse or partner, will increase the likelihood that older African American men with diabetes will adhere to intuitive eating practices,” Lee said in a statement. “Our second hypothesis is that intuitive eating practices will be associated with lower [HbA1c], a measure of glycemic control, among these older men with diabetes.”

For the study, older black men with type 2 diabetes who receive care at Cooper Green Mercy Hospital in Birmingham will be characterized by “good” HbA1c control (< 7%), “moderate” control (7%-9.5%) and “poor” control (> 9.5%).

“Intuitive eating practices, ie, healthy approaches to eating that include awareness of the physical and emotional sensations experienced while eating or in a food environment, have been shown to help people with chronic diseases,” Lee said. “We expect to prove that social support plays a key role in achieving and maintaining those positive intuitive eating practices.”

The Resource Center for Minority Aging pilot grant award is given to an early-career scientist who is focusing on minority aging and health disparities in the African American population. Lee’s grant is a $10,000 award for 1 year.