Assessment of dietary patterns in obese children and adolescents at risk of pre-diabetes in Basra/Iraq

the role of nutrition in developing pre-diabetes among obese children and adolescents remains a major problem. Method: A cross-sectional study based on food frequency questionnaire data was conducted on obese children and adolescents aged 6–18 years at Al-Faiha Specialized Diabetes, Endocrine, and Metabolism Center (FDEMC) in Basra (South Iraq) from November 1, 2021, to the end of May 2022. This study aimed to assess dietary patterns for obese children and adolescents who are at risk for pre-diabetes. Results: 155 obese children and adolescents aged 6–18 years participated in the study, 60% of whom were males and 40% female. 40% (n=62) had Impaired fasting glucose (IFG), and 16.8% (n=26) had Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Regarding the dietary pattern, this study discovered that 58.7% (n=91) of the participants have a neutral eating habits score, followed by 40.0% (n=62) of them have an unhealthy eating habits score, while only 1.3% (n = 2) of participants have healthy eating habits. However, this study found significant static associations between dietary habits and education level, socio-economic status, and father education. Conclusion: Healthy eating habits, weight reduction, and increased physical activity are all factors that assist in preventing pre-diabetes and its complication such as type 2 diabetes mellitus.