Introduction Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a growing global public health challenge, with a rapidly increasing burden in sub-Saharan Africa. Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is a cornerstone of T2D management; however, its design, delivery and implementation vary across health systems, cultural contexts and resource environments.
Most synthesised evidence and guideline development originate from Western settings, while MNT approaches in African contexts remain heterogeneous and less systematically characterised. This scoping review aims to map and compare MNT strategies for T2D across Western and African contexts.
Methods and analysis This scoping review will follow the Arksey and O'Malley framework and its enhancements, aligned with Joanna Briggs Institute guidance. Reporting will adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR).
Searches will be conducted in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, CABI Global Health and African Journals Online, supplemented by grey literature and citation searching. Eligible sources will include studies and programme reports describing MNT interventions for adults with T2D published between 2000 and 2025 in Western or African settings.
BMJ Open published a clinical update in Research Highlights on 20 May 2026.
The item focuses on Medical nutrition therapy strategies for type 2 diabetes in Western and African contexts: a comparative scoping review protocol.
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