A survey found that while nine out of 10 Malaysians living with diabetes regularly check their glucose levels, nearly 40% do not recall their HbA1c levels.
The HbA1c test is an important indicator of long-term diabetes control as it reflects the person's average blood glucose level over three months.
The results also show that self-testing appears to boost confidence, regardless of the person's HbA1c levels, i.e. 77% of regular testers who are unsure about their glucose levels still believe they manage diabetes well.
However, according to the 2023 National Diabetes Registry Report, only about 35% of Malaysians living with diabetes achieved the Health Ministry’s target of a HbA1c equal or less than 6.5.
ALSO READ: What the HbA1c test is all about
The survey, commisioned by American multinational healthcare company Abbott and conducted by British multinational public opinion and data company YouGov, asked 1,002 adult Malaysians living with diabetes about their glucose monitoring, food choices and physical activity.
They were also asked about their outlook on ease of management and sources of information they refer to for living with diabetes.
Key findings surrounding food choices include:
- Food awareness is high among Malaysians living with diabetes, but festive occasions make healthy management challenging.
- Most respondents understand the impact of food and diet management (85%), and regular monitoring (61%), on their glucose levels.
This indicates high awareness of the relationship between food and glucose levels.
- The understanding that food has a big impact on glucose levels is universal, irrespective of HbA1c levels.
- Half of the respondents reduced carbohydrates as their main food management strategy after diagnosis.
- Almost 90% of the respondents turn to social media for diet management advice.
- Festive seasons are perceived to be more challenging to manage glucose levels as compared to non-festive times, with 78% finding diabetes management easier during non-festive times compared to 39% during festive times.
Those using insulin injections find it particularly difficult during festive periods.
"Malaysians living with diabetes demonstrate a positive level of awareness about how food impacts diabetes," said Universiti Malaya emeritus professor of endocrine medicine Dr Chan Siew Pheng.
"Food is perhaps the most vital element in glucose variability, so understanding how it impacts glucose is equally important.
"Pairing this awareness with tools like continuous glucose monitoring can help individuals better understand how their bodies respond to different foods, empowering them to make better informed choices and optimise other areas of their life that impact glucose levels – like daily activity, medications and handling emotions like stress."
Meanwhile, seven out of 10 respondents say they take their diabetes medications exactly as prescribed.
However, only one in five exercise very regularly (i.e. five to seven days a week).
Those who did tended to have better glucose levels.
Almost 80% of respondents exercise less than 150 minutes per week.
This lines up with the 2023 National Health & Morbidity Survey, which showed that one in two Malaysian adults live a sedentary lifestyle.
When it comes to credible information on diabetes management, over three-quarters (76%) of the respondents rely on their healthcare providers (e.g. doctors, dieticians and nurses).
Of these. dieticians are the most trusted, after doctors.
Almost 80% of respondents also say they feel accepted and supported by others.
This group of respondents are less likely to attribute blame for theie disease on their lifestyles.
