Diabetes Knowledge and Dietary Adherence among type 2 diabetic patients in selected hospitals in Ibadan, Oyo State

Background: Dietary Counselling is the cornerstone and the first recommendation in the management of diabetes mellitus. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the diabetic knowledge and level of adherence to dietary counselling among type II diabetic patients in selected hospitals in Ibadan, Oyo State. Methods: This study was cross-sectional in design and was carried out among 150 type 2 diabetes patients selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. The socio-demographic and economic characteristics of the respondents were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Diabetes knowledge was assessed through the use of a 24-item version of the Diabetes knowledge questionnaire and respondents that scored between 0-8 were graded as those with poor diabetes knowledge, those that scored between 9-16 were graded as those with moderate diabetes knowledge and those who scored between 17-24 were graded as those who have adequate diabetes knowledge. while a perceived dietary adherence questionnaire assessed their adherence to dietary counseling. SPSS version 20 was used to analyze all data. Significant association was set at p < 0.05. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 59.9±9.3 years. Most of the respondents 126 (84.0%) had moderate diabetic knowledge. One hundred and Sixteen (77.3%) of the patients moderately adhered to the dietary counseling. There was a significant association between diabetes knowledge and dietary adherence (p = 0.043), diabetes knowledge, and educational status at (p = 0.036). The results also shows that there was a significant association between dietary adherence and religion of the respondents (p = 0.035), dietary adherence, and occupation of the respondents (p = 0.005). Conclusion: This study concludes that most of the respondents had moderate diabetes knowledge and moderate adherence to dietary counseling.