Prevalence and factors associated with non adherence to diet and exercise lifestyle recommendations among type 2 diabetic patients

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a leading cause of heart disease, retinopathy, nerve damage and renal problems worldwide. Studies attribute delay in the development of complications of type 2 diabetes to healthy diet and physical activity. Despite this fact, rates of non-adherence to diet plan and exercise recommendations are still as high as 70%. To determine the knowledge of the role of diet and exercise lifestyle recommendations, prevalence of non adherence to diet and exercise recommendations and describe the factors associated with non adherence to diet and exercise among type 2 diabetic patients at Kenyatta National hospital (KNH) diabetic clinic, a descriptive cross sectional study using a questionnaire was used. The highest number of participants (83.95%) in this study understood lifestyle recommendations in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus as both exercise & dietary habits. More participants perceived that diet and exercise control sugar levels (87.04% and 96.30%). A significant number of participants adhered to diet and exercise (n=200, CI, 0.94-0.99 and n= 176, 95% CI, 0.79-0.89 respectively) compared to those who did not. Weather (29.41%, CI, 0.13 -0 .46), Sickness (70.59% CI, 0.54-0.87) lack of detailed written instructions regarding exercise (82.35% CI,0.69-0.96) and healthy dietary habits (17.65% CI, 0.04-0.31) from any health care provider, and lack of social support (42.86% CI 0.27-0.58) were significant reasons for non adherence to diet and exercise