Dietary practice and associated factors among type 2 diabetic patients in Gambella region hospitals, Ethiopia

Purpose Dietary management is one of the cornerstones of diabetes care and is based on the concept of healthy eating in the context of social, cultural and psychological influences on food choice. In Ethiopia, there is a scarcity of data on diabetic patients’ dietary practices, which undervalues their importance in diabetes management. Hence, this study assessed the level of proper dietary practice and its associated factors among type 2 diabetic patients in Gambella hospitals, Ethiopia. Design/methodology/approach An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 190 randomly selected diabetic patients in two hospitals in the Gambella region, Ethiopia. Data was entered into Epidata version 3.1 and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Logistic regressions were used to check the association between dietary practice and explanatory variables. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the strength of the association between dependent and independent variables. Findings More than half (57.4%) of the study participants followed a healthy dietary practice. Getting nutritional education from doctors (AOR = 4.6; 95% CI: 1.6, 13.2, p = 0.031), having access to fruits and vegetables (AOR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.1, 4.1, p = 0.018) and family involvement during patient counseling (AOR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.9, 6.5, p = 0.021) were factors associated with good dietary practice. Research limitations/implications A self-reporting method was used rather than direct observation of patients’ dietary practices, which may result in recall bias. Practical implications Adherence to the recommended dietary practice among diabetic patients was relatively low. The integration of diabetes-based nutritional advice with family involvement and strengthening agricultural activities should be emphasized in the study area. Originality/value The two-hospital design of this study ensures that a representative sample of study subjects in the Gambella hospitals is obtained, which is useful for intervention strategies and activities. Data gathering tools that were standardized and verified for use by the World Health Organization were used.