The UK Diabetes and Diet Questionnaire: Assessing dietary habits of people with, or at high risk of, type 2 diabetes

In 2013, we invited Help BEAT Diabetes volunteers to help Clare England, a research dietitian from the University of Bristol’s Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, develop a questionnaire to assess the dietary habits of people with, or at risk of, type 2 diabetes. Clare wanted to find out what people with the condition thought were the most important dietary questions to ask and many of you willingly came forward to help.

Now, three years on, this questionnaire has been further developed and given a name: The UK Diabetes and Diet Questionnaire.

Claire explains more: “The questionnaire has been tested and evaluated by many different groups of people including those with, or at risk of, type 2 diabetes, dietitians, GPs and pharmacists. We have found that people like it and it is a reliable way to assess diet. The Research for the Future team helped me find people with type 2 diabetes from all over England to take part in my study and I am very grateful to all those who took part.”

The questionnaire is free to use and it can assess diet and suggest beneficial dietary changes. Download the questionnaire.

Clare’s study formed a part of her PhD and was supported by an NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship, which was awarded in 2015.  Her research hasn’t stopped though – she is currently working on a web version to make self-assessment easier as well as looking at how well the questionnaire can measure dietary changes before and after a weight management programme.