The Relationship Between Adherence of High-Calorie, High-Protein Diet with Nutritional Knowledge and Attitudes Among Postoperative Patients at Grandmed Hospital in Lubuk Pakam

Postoperative wound healing requires adequate nutritional intake, including a High-Calorie, High-Protein (HCHP) diets. However, adherence to this diet may be influenced by patients’ nutritional knowledge and attitudes. This study aimed to analyze the association between nutritional knowledge and attitudes and adherence to the HCHP diet among postoperative patients at Grandmed Hospital, Lubuk Pakam. This observational analytical study employed a cross-sectional design. A total of 35 patients who had undergone cesarean section were recruited using consecutive sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed using the chi-square test. The results showed that 42.9% of respondents had poor nutritional knowledge, 57.1% had negative nutritional attitudes, and 60% did not adhere to the HCHP diet. Bivariate analysis revealed significant associations between nutritional knowledge and adherence to the HCHP diet (p = 0.003) and between nutritional attitudes and adherence to the HCHP diet (p < 0.001). These findings indicate that nutritional knowledge and attitudes are significantly associated with dietary adherence among postoperative patients. Strengthening postoperative nutrition education may improve patients’ understanding of nutritional requirements, foster positive attitudes toward dietary recommendations, and support adherence to the HCHP diet during recovery. Further research involving larger samples is recommended to explore additional factors associated with dietary adherence in postoperative patients.