Poor dietary practice and its associated factors among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus on follow up in Nigist Elleni Mohammed Memorial Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia

Abstract Background Despite the importance of dietary practice on self care of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, poor dietary practice results in long term complications. Therefore this study was conducted to identify the level of poor dietary practice among type 2 diabetic patients on follow up in Nigist Elleni Mohammed Memorial comprehensive specialized Hospital, Southern Ethiopia. Methods Facility based cross-sectional study design was employed to assess the level of poor dietary practice among type II diabetes mellitus adult patients. The study was conducted from March to April 2020 G.C. Systematic random sampling method was used to select the study respondent. Both bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions were carried out to assess independent predictors of poor practice to diet. Odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals together with value ≤ 0.05 were used to identify independent predictors of poor dietary practice. Result The overall proportion of poor dietary adherence among type diabetes patients was 53.7% (n = 168). Having large family size, occupations, being low wealth status, lack of family support and not being member of diabetic association were the factors associated with poor adherence of dietary practice among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Conclusion The overall magnitude of the poor adherence to dietary practice among type 2 diabetes mellitus adult patients was 53.7% which is not going in line with international recommendations of diabetic self care. Every concerned body should strive to address those factors associated with poor dietary practice among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.