Assessing the Nutritional Status and Nutrition Education Knowledge of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in Bamenda Regional Hospital, North -West Region -Cameroon

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes (formerly termed non-insulin dependent or adult-onset diabetes) occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin (relative insulin deficiency) or cannot use the insulin it produces effectively (insulin resistance) and it could be due to ?-cell dysfunction and dysregulated hepatic glucose production.Effective management of diabetes mellitus requires comprehensive nutrition education. However, the relationship between patients' nutritional knowledge and their nutritional status remains underexplored in Cameroon, particularly in the Bamenda Regional Hospital. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutrition education knowledge and nutritional status of diabetic patients at Bamenda Regional Hospital. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 152 diabetic patients receiving care at the Bamenda Regional Hospital. Data collection  was done through  the administration of a structured questionnaire to obtain information on sociodemographic characteristics and nutrition education knowledge.  Anthropometric measurements( weight and height) was carried out and used to calculate BMI (weight/height²). This was used to assess nutritional status following the standard procedures and compared with the World Health Organisation(WHO) classification standards. Dietary intake was assessed using 24 -hour recall and food frequency questionnaire methods.The data was analysed using SPSS (version 21).The level of significance was set at p-value< 0.05.

The study revealed that 62.2% of the diabetic patients were female, 53.9% were?45years,62.5% had low income .Moreover, 23.3% were overweight(BMI;24.9 - 29.9kg/?) and 58.6% were obese (BMI;? 30kg/?). A significant difference was observed between low income, nutritional status  and nutrition education knowledge(p<0.05).: The study revealed that diabetes patients in Bamenda Regional Hospital could be having inadequate knowledge which led to poor food choices and financial limitations could have restricted access to healthy foods. Lifestyle modification is the best approach and this can be achieved through enhancing nutrition education programs tailored to local dietary practices which may improve patients' nutritional status and diabetes management outcomes.