Assessment of nutritional knowledge and dietary patterns of patients with pancreatitis in South India

Background: Pancreatitis is common in South India, with a 20-fold higher incidence than the West. Objectives: This study was carried out to assess the nutritional knowledge and dietary pattern of patients with pancreatitis in South India. Materials and Methods: A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to assess the dietary pattern. An authorial questionnaire (98 questions) was used to assess nutritional knowledge, attitude, and adherence to advice. The data were entered in Microsoft Excel and analyzed in SPSS version 20. Results: A total of 86 patients with pancreatitis (acute: 50, chronic: 36) were included. Of them, 13%, 45%, and 42% of the patients had <25%, 25%–50%, and >50% scores, respectively, in nutritional knowledge assessment. Fifty-nine patients perceived their nutritional knowledge to be average (46%) or above average (22%). Restricted food items were avoided by majority, such as fried snacks (34%), raw chilly (67%), garlic (88%), and coffee (48%). Intake of recommended food items like cooked vegetables (94%) was practiced, but frequencies of consuming low-fat milk (0%), egg (8%), etc., were not adequate. Seventy-three percent of the patients knew high-fat/oil consumption was detrimental. Doctor was the source of dietary advice in 92% of patients. Only 32% were satisfied with the dietary advice received. There were no significant correlations between nutritional knowledge, adherence, and factors such as age, gender, education, type of pancreatitis, and disease duration. Conclusion: The dietary pattern, nutritional knowledge, and adherence to recommendations in patients with pancreatitis are insufficient, irrespective of demographic/clinicopathological factors.