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Review
. 2025 Jun 30;22(7):1047.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph22071047.

Personalised Nutrition Approaches in the Prevention and Management of Type 2 Diabetes: A Narrative Review of Evidence and Practice

Mabitsela Mphasha  1 , Tebogo Mothiba  2
Affiliations
Review

Personalised Nutrition Approaches in the Prevention and Management of Type 2 Diabetes: A Narrative Review of Evidence and Practice

Mabitsela Mphasha et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains a significant global public health concern, largely driven by poor dietary habits, physical inactivity, and rising obesity rates. In recent years, personalised nutrition (PN) emerged as a promising approach to T2DM prevention and management. This narrative review synthesises current evidence on tailored dietary strategies, including the glycaemic index (GI), glycaemic load (GL), food insulin index (FII), and precision nutrition tools. It further explores their impact on glycaemic control, insulin sensitivity, and adherence to dietary interventions. A structured review of peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted, taking into account behavioural, cultural, and systemic implementation factors. Although evidence supports the efficacy of PN in improving metabolic outcomes, implementation in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains limited due to infrastructural, financial, and contextual challenges. This review emphasises the need for context-specific, scalable solutions integrated into primary healthcare systems.

Keywords: dietary intervention; food insulin index; glycaemic control; glycaemic index; glycaemic load; personalised nutrition; precision nutrition; type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Conceptual framework of personalised nutrition for T2DM.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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