Caffeine Beverage Consumption in the Type 2 Diabetic Patients Attending Diabetes Clinic at Manchakhiri Hospital in Khon Kaen Province

Abstract

Background and Objective: The failure to control of blood glucose levels in diabetic patients can lead to the development of various complications, and this is a problem in Manchakhiri District, Khon Kaen Province. One of the consequences is that diabetic patients turn to the use of substances which are claimed to lower blood sugar levels, such as coffee, tea and energy drinks. The aim of this study was to investigate the caffeine beverage consumption in the type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients and the factors associated with their use of caffeine beverages.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was designed. Two hundred and eighty T2DM patients with plasma glucose level of 180 mg/dL or more were recruited from the diabetic clinic at Manchakhiri Hospital in Khon Kaen Province. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information about the general characteristics of the patients, and their patterns of caffeine beverage consumption. Data were collected during the period of February to April, 2012. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify factors affecting caffeine beverage consumption.

Results: The results revealed that the mean age of the subjects was 57±2.4 years and 55% were females. The median time since the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus was 7 years. Beverages containing caffeine  were consumed by 45.7%. coffee, weight loss or sugar -free coffee, and tea were drunk by 28.9%, 15.8%, and 12.6%, respectively. Some (10.7%) consumed caffeine in the form of an energy drink. Over half (57%) drank a caffeine containing beverage only once a day, and most (64.8%) drank in the morning. The subjects drank beverages to prevent sleepy (50.0%), because of habituation(46.9%), or fondot the flavour(42.9%). The majority (65.4%) bought the beverages from local shops. The average total caffeine intake from the beverages consumed was 41.2 ± 21.1 mg/day/person. The result of the multiple logistic regression showed that income ≥ 5000 baht/month was the only factor affecting the consumption of a caffeine containing beverage (OR _adj = 2.30, 95% CI = 1.31-4.06).

Conclusions: Coffee is the most popular caffeine beverage among T2DM patients. However, the prevalence of current caffeine beverage consumption and the amount of caffeine intake were not high. In addition, income is the main factor affecting the drinking of caffeine beverages.

Keywords: diabetes, beverage, caffeine