Dietary Intervention for Prevention of Diabetes - Essay Example

"Dietary Intervention for Prevention of Diabetes" is an excellent example of a paper on diabetes mellitus.
Deaths from diabetes have been on the increase especially among Hispanics and African American men and women. The cause of the increase in diabetes as well as the deaths have been attributed to behavior-specific cognitions and affect such as poor eating and exercising habits. The factors that have contributed to the increasing diabetes statistics are all personal factors and which can be eliminated through an effective plan and course of action (Padilla & Villalobos, 2007). Exercising regularly, following a diabetic diet recommended by the physicians as well as having proper medical care will lead to good health promotion behavior.

Definition and applicability of health promotion project

The best theory to use to promote healthy behavior among patients with diabetes is Pender’s health promotion model. Pender’s model explains how a behavioral outcome depends on the change in individual characteristics as well as their behavior-specific cognitions. This applied to the diabetes patients of Hispanic and African American origin will translate to changing their prior behavior of unhealthy eating as well as changing some of the personal factors that act as barriers to them attaining good health. This will include changing their attitudes, increasing their motivation for getting well, defying any negative influences such as cultural or personal from friends and relatives, and being committed to a plan of action. The plan of action should be following the advice from the doctors on the recommended diet as well as the right exercise and medication to use.

Rationale of intervention

One of the stated interventions to better health for the diabetic population is a proper diet. The best foods for diabetics include foods rich in high fiber such as brown rice, whole grain bread, sweet potatoes and yams, and peas or leafy greens. They are also supposed to eat a lot of vegetables as well and avoid having a lot of food with a high starch quantity or such beverages as well. Eating food with healthy fats such as olive oils instead of animal fat is also helpful (Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group, 2002). The diabetics should not skip meals and if a patient wants to lose weight, they should do it through exercises and not diet plans.

Plan for intervention and activities

A healthy diet plan has been mentioned above in brief. In order for the intervention to work, however, patients should consult nutritionists or follow strictly the diet plan provided by their physicians. They should ask questions about foods they are not sure they should eat and what quantity they should have to the qualified health care personnel before taking it. Eating a lot of sweets should be discouraged as well as a lot of food with carbohydrates (Brown, Mosley & Aldred, 2013).

The diabetics should also have an exercise plan they can follow to ensure that they get the recommended amount of exercise for their body. The exercise is meant to reduce their body weight especially the fatty layers. Regular exercises should be carried out and not intermittent ones. The best way to follow these interventions is to join a diabetic’s support group which can be exercising together and supporting each other on the diet plans and resisting the temptation of some foods. They will also encourage each other to be strong when undergoing medical intervention and drug therapy.

Appropriateness of intervention on identified advanced practice role

Diet intervention is appropriate because it is the center of diabetes and which can lead to relapse much more easily than the other interventions. Nurses can be of assistance to the diabetes patients by following up on their diets and encouraging them to keep to the health plan formulated that will enable them to control diabetes and live longer (Melko, Terry, Camp, Xi & Healey, 2010). By encouraging them to change their eating behavior, they are on the road to a healthy outcome.