Dietary patterns among Saudis with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Riyadh: A cross-sectional study

We investigated dietary patterns and their associations with sociodemographic and lifestyle factors in Saudi adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A total of 297 participants (154 men and 143 women) with a mean age (standard deviation) of 54.0 (7.0) years were enrolled in the current study. Self-reported information on sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics, eating behavior, and frequency of consumption was collected from all participants. Principal component analysis was used to determine dietary patterns. Multiple linear regressions were used to examine the associations between dietary patterns and sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. We identified five dietary patterns: "Vegetables and olive oil," "Refined grains and sweets," "Dairy products and legumes," "Dates and beverages," and "Fruit." Age was inversely associated with the pattern "Refined grains and sweets" (beta = -0.036, p <0.001). Females were more likely to have higher scores with the "Fruit" pattern (beta = 0.410, p = 0.011). Smoking was associated with "Vegetables and olive oil" (beta = 0.919, p = 0.001) and "Dates and beverages" (beta = -0.947, p = 0.001) patterns. The level of physical activity was associated with "Dates and beverages" (beta = 0.104, p = 0.048) and "Vegetables and olive oil" (beta = -0.102, p = 0.048) patterns. The number of snacks consumed was associated with "Dates and beverages" pattern (beta = -0.241, p = 0.005), and the frequency of meals eaten in fast food locations and restaurants per month was associated with "Vegetables and olive oil" pattern (beta = -0.043, p = 0.034). Each dietary pattern was associated with different sociodemographic and lifestyle factors and eating behaviors. This study provides insights into the underlying nutritional habits of Saudi Arabian patients with T2DM. Future studies are necessary to assess these associations in representative samples.