Impact of Food Insecurity on the Management of Type 2 Diabetes in Low-Income Communities.

Abstract: Food insecurity is a significant hinderer to effective management of Type 2 Diabetes in low income communities. This is because insufficient food access worsens healthcare outcomes due to poor nutritional intake. This study investigates how food insecurity in the low-income countries, particularly impacts the management of Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease, that is majorly characterized by high blood glucose levels, and thus proper dieting is one of the major ways it can be managed. This is also complemented by proper healthcare. However, in the low-income countries, health care systems and cost keep rising, and thus effective management in this era relies mostly on proper food. In the UAE, Type 2 Diabetes prevalence is about 20.7% which is one of the highest in the world (IDF, nd). The country has a huge proportion of migrant workers from low income countries, who are also affected by the rising cost of food and housing in the UAE, thus constraining their access to quality diets (World Bank, 2024). Using a PRISMA guide literature review, the study draws sources from PubMed and Google Scholar. The systematic review led to an analysis of 12 articles that focus on Type 2 diabetes and food insecurity in low income populations. However, for accurate results, the study excludes studies on children, gestational diabetes, and any food insecurity articles that were not on medical context. The findings of this study reveal that food insecurity directly increases HbA1c levels by 0.6% in low income countries. The study also reveals that 69% of diabetics in LMICs experience poor glycemic control which is attributed to economic barriers and low nutritional knowledge. The study concludes that food insecurity has a significant impact on the management of Type 2 diabetes. To reduce this impact, the study suggests introduction of community food programs, subsidized healthy foods and cross sector partnerships.