Exploring Dietary Patterns and Nutrition Status of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients attending a Teaching Hospital in Zambia

This study explored food consumption patterns based on the Zambian Food-Based Dietary Guidelines and assessed the nutritional status of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients attending a diabetic clinic at a teaching hospital in Zambia. A cross-sectional design with quantitative methods was employed for data collection, analysis, and presentation. The hospital was purposively selected as it is the only teaching hospital in the district. A total of 146 consecutively diagnosed T2DM patients were recruited during the study period. Data on the types and frequency of food consumption across the six food groups were collected using a researcher-administered questionnaire. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated using standard procedures for measuring height and weight. Blood glucose readings were extracted from patient records. Research tools were pre-tested on a separate group of T2DM patients not included in the main study. Results showed that 87% of participants had received dietary counselling following their diagnosis. Nearly all participants (97.3%) had consumed foods from the cereals, starchy roots, and tubers group in the previous seven days. While a high proportion (87.7%) reported vegetable consumption during the recall period, the mean vegetable intake score was relatively low (2.00 ± 1.24 SD). Only a quarter (25.3%) reported fruit consumption, with a mean score of 0.32 ± 0.61 SD. Over one-third of participants (36.3%) were overweight, with women comprising the majority (39.3%). BMI was significantly associated with age and sex (p < 0.05), whereas marital status, occupation, and education level showed no significant association (p > 0.05). The findings suggest that while patients generally adhered to the Zambian Food-Based Dietary Guidelines by consuming foods from all six food groups, fruit and vegetable intake remained suboptimal. Additionally, the high prevalence of overweight and obesity highlights the need for targeted interventions to promote healthier dietary practices among T2DM patients.