ABSTRACT

The study determined the dietary pattern that contributes to healthy ageing among diabetic patients in Abia State. To carry out this research work, four research questions were raised and four hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Specifically, the objective of the study includes; identifying the types of meals that are mostly consumed by diabetic patients in Abia State, determining the reasons for choice of meal among ageing diabetic patients, determining the major problem of diabetic patients in Abia State and ways of improving the dietary pattern of diabetic patients in Abia State. It was a descriptive survey design, in which copies of questionnaire were administered.  The respondents were consented adult of diabetic patients from the two tertiary health facilities in Abia State since most of the patients were likely to be referred to these tertiary facilities. Proportionate random sampling techniques were used on a population of 2412 diabetic patients that visited the two major hospitals for routine check-up. A sample size of 343 were considered, after which the 343 patients were stratified among the two major hospitals in Abia State (Federal Medical Centre Umuahia and Abia State Teaching Hospital Aba). The data obtained from the following research questions; types of meal the diabetic patients consumed, the reasons for the choice of meal the diabetic patients take, the problems of diabetic patients, how to improve the dietary pattern of a diabetic patients, were computed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20) and results are expressed as percentage, frequencies, and mean score ratings. The formulated hypotheses were tested at 5% level of significance using T-test. The total number of respondents were 343 of which is 161 (46.9%) and 182 (53.1%) were males and females respectively. The findings of the study revealed among others that the respondents consumed mainly, vegetable, fish, fruits, garri and soup, meat beans and plantain due to medical advice. Forty nine (14.29%) out of the 343 patients did not report any complications. Most commonly reported complications/problems among the patients were hypertension, retinopathy, neuropathy and ulcer. The study showed that meat was significantly highly consumed among patients aged <55 years, while consumption of rice and plantain were significantly higher among patients aged 55 years and above. Consumption of garri/soup and plantain were significantly higher among patients without complications than among patients with complications. Since the study showed that plantain was consumed significantly more in patients 55years and above and higher in patients without complications. The study therefore recommends that awareness should be created by the Hospital on the types of meals that should be consumed by diabetic patients. The Federal and State governments should equip the laboratories for the proper testing of diabetic patients.