Table 2

Eating pattern(s) that nutrition counsellors recommend patients with T2D follow and factors influencing recommendations*

Mean±SD or n (%)
Sliding scale to estimate the percentage of your total patient caseload who have a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes61.4±26.6
Recommended eating patterns (check all that apply)
Low-carbohydrate, defined as 50–130 g of total carbohydrate per day56 (77.8)
Mediterranean-style38 (52.8)
Energy-modified/calorie restricted26 (36.1)
Non-restrictive/Intuitive eating18 (25.0)
Low-fat17 (23.6)
Other(s)15 (20.8)
DASH (low-sodium)15 (20.8)
Vegetarian12 (16.7)
Intermittent fasting/time-restricted eating11 (15.3)
Vegan8 (11.1)
Meal replacement8 (11.1)
Paleo4 (5.6)
Very low-carbohydrate (ketogenic), defined as <50 g of total carbohydrate per day4 (5.6)
Very low-calorie, defined as <800 kcal per day1 (1.4)
Factors influencing decision to recommend eating patterns (select top three)†
My professional expertise concerning the eating pattern (s)54 (74.0)
The patient’s preference46 (63.0)
Success of eating pattern(s) with previous patients44 (60.3)
The patient’s prior failure with other eating patterns43 (58.9)
Clinical practice guidelines43 (58.9)
The patient’s prior success with these eating pattern(s)42 (57.5)
The scientific evidence for the eating pattern(s)38 (52.1)
The patient’s cultural traditions32 (43.8)
The patient’s food budget29 (39.7)
Likelihood of long-term weight loss24 (32.9)
Other medical conditions21 (28.8)
The typical practice patterns at my site13 (17.8)
My own personal experience with following the eating pattern(s) myself12 (16.4)
US Health and World Report Ranking2 (2.7)
Other(s)1 (1.4)
Are there any eating pattern strategies that you recommend patients avoid when managing their type 2 diabetes?
Yes51 (69.9)
No22 (30.1)
Recommended eating patterns to avoid (check all that apply)
Very low-carbohydrate (ketogenic), defined as <50 g of total carbohydrates per day26 (51.0)
Very low-calorie, defined as <800 kcal per day25 (49.0)
Other(s)12 (23.5)
Intermittent fasting/time-restricted eating10 (19.6)
Low-fat7 (13.7)
Paleo6 (11.8)
Non-restrictive/intuitive eating4 (7.8)
Energy-modified/calorie restricted3 (5.9)
Mediterranean-style2 (3.9)
Vegan2 (3.9)
Vegetarian1 (2.0)
DASH (low sodium)1 (2.0)
Meal replacement1 (2.0)
Low-carbohydrate, defined as 50–130 g of total carbohydrate per day1 (2.0)
  • *Not all participants responded to survey questions. The denominator for each percentage is the total number of participants who completed the respective question.

  • †Participants were asked to select the top three factors that influence their decision to recommend eating patterns to patients with T2D; however, certain participants selected more than three options.

  • DASH, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension; T2D, type 2 diabetes.