Exploring Dietitians’ Views on Healthy Dietary-Pattern Counselling for Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Tobruk, Libya: A Qualitative Study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) represents a growing public health challenge globally and in Libya, where increasing prevalence is associated with dietary behaviours, obesity, and lifestyle changes. Dietary-pattern counselling is a key component of diabetes management; however, limited evidence exists regarding how dietitians interpret and deliver such counselling within routine clinical practice in Libya. This study aimed to explore dietitians’ views and experiences of providing healthy dietary-pattern counselling for adults with T2DM in Tobruk, Libya. A qualitative descriptive design was adopted using semi-structured face-to-face interviews with 20 purposively selected dietitians and clinical nutritionists working in hospitals, primary healthcare centres, and private clinics. Interviews lasted approximately 30–45 minutes, were audio-recorded with participant consent, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three major themes emerged from the analysis. The first, Translating Dietary Knowledge into Practical Counselling, highlighted the importance of individualising dietary advice and simplifying complex nutritional guidance to improve patient understanding and feasibility. The second, Contextual Barriers and Influences on Counselling, identified cultural food practices, family expectations, limited consultation time, and restricted resources as important influences on counselling delivery. The third, Patient Engagement and Response to Dietary Advice, revealed persistent misconceptions, health-literacy challenges, and difficulties maintaining long-term dietary adherence. Collectively, the findings suggest that effective dietary counselling depends on balancing evidence-based recommendations with cultural, socioeconomic, and behavioural realities. The study provides context-specific evidence that may inform the development of culturally appropriate educational resources, professional training initiatives, and structured dietary-counselling pathways to strengthen diabetes care within Libyan healthcare settings
DOI: 10.33214/dbtqd870
Institution: Tobruk University
Language: English
Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7221069264