Conocimiento alimentario y adherencia al tratamiento nutricional en pacientes con diabetes tipo 2 del Hospital de Especialidades Dr. Abel Gilbert Pontón - Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Abstract

People with type 2 diabetes should follow a treatment regimen of choice consisting of lifestyle changes; however, there is a lack of documentation regarding self-care practices and adherence to medical nutritional treatment. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate dietary habits and adherence to nutritional treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes at the Dr. Abel Gilbert Pontón Specialty Hospital in Guayaquil, Ecuador. A descriptive, cross-sectional observational study was conducted using two questionnaires: 1) Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities and 2) a questionnaire based on the recommendations of the Spanish Society of Community Nutrition (SENC). Sociodemographic, clinical, dietary habit, and nutritional treatment adherence variables were analyzed using nonparametric statistical tests. The sample consisted of 121 patients, and irregular dietary habits and nutritional adherence were observed. Educational level was associated with certain aspects of adherence, while age and sex were not significantly related. This research will benefit patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, as it will highlight the importance of nutritional knowledge in adherence to nutritional treatment. The results suggest a need to strengthen nutrition education strategies tailored to the sociocultural context in order to improve nutritional adherence among patients with type 2 diabetes.