Effectiveness of the Sugar and Stevia Consumption Program on the Control Blood Glucose Levels in Type 2 Diabetes Patients at Pak Thong Chai District Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Abstract

Diabetes is a disorder of blood sugar control. If patients have poor control over their diet of starches and sugars, it will lead to complications. However, controlling sugar consumption is difficult. The researchers therefore designed a program to help control blood sugar levels more efficiently and conveniently for patients. The purpose of this research was to study the effectiveness of the sugar and stevia consumption program on controlling blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes using a randomized control trial (RCT). The sample groups consisted of 102 out-patients at Pak Thong Chai Hospital with type 2 diabetes, divided into 3 groups of 34 people each: namely a control group consuming normal food; a group given 24 grams of sugar per day (the sugar consumption group); and a stevia consumption group for a period of 90 days.  Following the program, the volunteers who consumed granulated sugar and those who consumed stevia showed FBS blood sugar values of 129.35 and 130.38, respectively, and cumulative blood sugar levels (HbA1c) of 6.27 and 6.12, respectively. In addition, both FBS blood sugar and cumulative average blood sugar (HbA1c) decreased without affecting the change in body weight in patients with type 2 diabetes, and the values were significantly lower than those in the control group (p<0.05). As a result, a program with a daily sugar intake of 24 grams and consuming stevia extract instead of table sugar was able to control blood sugar levels better than a program for volunteers who received only normal dietary advice.