The effect of chewing-betel habits on blood glucose levels in the Karo ethnic community, Karo district

Abstract

Background: The chewing Betel habit is a hereditary tradition from the ancestors of the Batak-Karo tribe, Indonesia. Karo people believe that chewing betel habit is their unifier. The chewing-betel habit process begins with concocting a mixture of ingredients such as betel leaf, lime, gambier, areca nut, and with or without tobacco addition, then chewed slowly. Our previous study showed that gambier extracts (Uncaria gambier Roxb), can reduce blood glucose levels(BGL) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)patients. This study aimed to analyze whether the habit of chewing betel can affect BGL in the Karo ethnic community in the Karo district. Methods: In total, 48 participants from the Karo community were divided into 4 groups (n=12 per group), namely: I. non-T2DM participants without chewing betel habits; II. non-T2DM participants with chewing-betel habit; III. T2DM participants without chewing-betel habit and IV. T2DM participants with chewing-betel habit. The sampling technique was consecutive sampling. The data were collected by interviews and blood sampling (fasting and 2 hours postprandial (2hPP)). The collected data were analyzed by paired t-test, Independent sample t-test, Wilcoxon, and Mann-Whitney with a significance level of p-value <0.05. Results:  This study showed that fasting BGL condition in group-I compared to group II (84.33±12.32 vs 81.00±4.84) mg/dl and group-III compared to group-IV (196.25±104.81 vs 150.00±42.45) mg/dl had no significant difference. Also, the BGL of 2hPP condition in group-I compared to group-II (111.25 ±22.62 vs 108.33±18.99) mg/dl, and group-III compared to group-IV (314.92±128.97 vs 229.25±58.26) mg/dl, in statistically there was no difference (p>0.05). Although the data showed that group-III was higher than group-IV. Conclusions: This study concludes that with or without chewing-betel habits affect blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes subjects (Groups III and IV).