Assessing the impact of magnesium-based nutritional education on lipid profiles in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a quasi-experimental study.

Abstract

Background: The potential therapeutic role of magnesium (Mg) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains insufficiently studied despite its known involvement in critical processes like lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity. This study examines the impact of Mg-focused nutritional education on lipid profile parameters, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in T2DM patients.

Methods: Thirty participants with T2DM were recruited for this within-subject experimental study. Participants underwent a three-month dietary intervention focused on increasing the intake of Mg-rich foods through nutritional education. Anthropometric measurements and lipids were assessed at baseline and after the intervention period, with the primary outcome variables including changes in lipid parameters.

Results: The findings showed a significant inverse association between dietary Mg intake and total cholesterol levels (r = - 0.36, p = 0.05). However, other parameters, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C, were not found to be associated with Mg intake.

Conclusion: The study demonstrated an inverse association between Mg intake and cholesterol level. Providing nutritional education and guidance on incorporating Mg-rich foods into the diet may be a crucial strategy for improving the health and well-being of T2DM patients in Saudi Arabia. The feasibility and practicality of focused nutritional education as an intervention make it a low-cost, scalable, and sustainable approach that can be readily implemented in clinical and community settings. Further studies are needed to explore the long-term impact of dietary Mg interventions on a larger sample with longer education periods.