Protein for Breakfast: A simple dietary change can bring glucose stabilisation benefits in Care Home Residents

Introduction

One in four Care Home (CH) residents have diabetes, making diet crucial for controlling glucose levels (GLs). Continuous blood glucose monitoring (CGM) now offers deeper insights into GL fluctuations. Diabetes in severe frailty is often overtreated, particularly with insulin, posing risks such as hypoglycemia, avoidable hospital admissions, and labour-intensive clinical supervision. While protein and vegetables can slow glucose absorption, dietary advice for CH residents typically emphasizes carbohydrates and may not be tailored to their frailty. This study investigates the impact of modifying protein intake in insulin-using diabetics to improve glycaemic control.

Method

A small pilot study assessed if protein-rich foods (e.g. eggs, peanut butter) given for breakfast stabilise GLs throughout the day. Eight diabetic CH residents using insulin were randomly selected over four months. A diabetic frailty pharmacist monitored GLs with the CGM device (Freestyle Libre) and analysed GLs after a protein-rich breakfast. Descriptive analysis and t-tests were conducted using R before and after the food intervention, and ANOVA was used to analyse significant differences in GLs.

Results

Six out of eight patients showed statistically significant reductions in GL spikes, sustained throughout the day. For the remaining two patients, the food intervention helped maintain target GLs. This led to the discontinuation of insulin in one patient, and in the second, problematic frequent hypoglycemia was mitigated by the food intervention. Clinical decisions on patient safety influenced outcomes for these two patients but were not excluded from analysis.

Conclusion

Six of the eight residents given additional protein at breakfast showed significant GL reductions, leading to decreased insulin dosing and simpler regimes. Carers reported improvements in mood, sleep, and energy levels anecdotally. A holistic dietary approach in managing diabetes in CH residents, emphasizing increased morning protein intake, should be considered to enhance GL control and allow deprescribing. A larger study is planned.