Background/Objectives: Diabetes mellitus represents a major public health burden in Hungary and is associated with sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. This study examined cross-sectional associations between habitual dietary intake and self-reported diabetes prevalence in a nationally representative Hungarian sample. Methods: Data from 5603 participants aged ≥15 years in the 2019 European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) were analyzed. Survey-weighted logistic regression models assessed associations between dietary variables and self-reported diabetes, adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), education, income, employment, and physical activity. Dietary variables were energy-adjusted using the residual method. Results: Higher odds of diabetes were observed among individuals who reported obesity (OR: 2.70; 95% CI: 1.96–3.72), lower educational attainment (OR: 0.73 for high school vs. <high school; 95% CI: 0.55–0.99), and unemployment (OR: 0.66 for employed vs. unemployed; 95% CI: 0.46–0.95). Lower odds were observed among participants reporting regular physical activity (OR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.43–0.81) and less frequent processed meat consumption (OR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.37–0.76). Inverse associations were also observed for moderate dessert consumption, whereas strong positive associations were identified for adherence to special diets (OR: 9.24; 95% CI: 7.09–12.06) and dietitian consultation (OR: 6.30; 95% CI: 4.13–9.61). Conclusions: In this nationally representative cross-sectional analysis, dietary patterns and sociodemographic factors were statistically associated with diabetes prevalence. The results should be interpreted cautiously, as observed associations may reflect behavioral changes following diagnosis rather than causal relationships. Prospective studies are required to clarify temporal direction and underlying mechanisms.
Hajzer et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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