A Cross Sectional Study on Compliance to Diet Self Care among Adult Diabetics in an Urban Resettlement Colony of East Delhi

Medical nutrition therapy can control blood sugars during early stage. Recognizing patients prone to non-compliance to diet-care is of utmost importance. This study aimed to find the level of diabetic dietcare among adult diabetics in East Delhi. Methods: In a cross sectional study, 150 adult diabetics in a resettlement colony of East Delhi were enrolled. Eight diabetics, each from all 21 subblocks were randomly sampled. Data was collected using diet items of revised Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities. Frequency of dietcare as number of days/week (0-7) and mean scores were calculated. The predictors of non-compliance were found using linear regression. Results: Fifty-two subjects (30.9%) practiced diet control for all days/ week. Totally, 25.6% did not control their diet even for one day. Small proportion of 0-7.1% reported intake of >5 servings of fruits/vegetables. A total of 36.9% diabetics consumed high fat foods every day. The mean general diet scores ranged 0-7 with 25% not following diet-care even for a day. Special diet scores ranged 2-7 with 1.8% scoring 7. Absence of family support (p=0.022), treating with own funds (p=0.014) and inadequate advice on diet control (p=0.046) had inverse influence on general score, while being illiterate (p=0.028), and substance abuse (p=0.010) had negative influence on specific diet score. Conclusion: The overall diet-care among diabetics was low. The predictors of non-compliance were literacy status, family support, finances, advice on diet-care and substance abuse. Focussed nutritional assessment of diabetics and recommending diet should be done as a regular patient management strategy.