Objectives: The prevalence of diabetes is rapidly increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. Healthy lifestyle and dietary conditions play a key role in the control of blood sugar imbalance and cardiovascular complications of diabetes. This study was designed to describe the profile and dietary habits of type 2 diabetic patients attending the Abidjan Diabetes Centre (CADA), and to identify related factors. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive and analytic study was conducted in 2014 at the CADA. A total of 384 patients were included. Results: Patients had a mean age of 56.2 (SD: 11.7) years and had been living with diabetes for a mean duration of 8.6 years. Main comorbidities associated with diabetes were overweight (56.8%) and high blood pressure (45.3%). More than one-half of patients (60.7%) did not have a good knowledge of the recommended diet for diabetics: 88.5% did not have regular meal times, 11.7% reported snacking and 61.5% had their meals outside of the home. In addition, 60.4% stated that, during the week preceding the survey, they had eaten at least one “not recommended” food, most commonly fatty meals and fried food (31.5%). Patients who did not know that eating fatty meals and fried food was not recommended for diabetics were 3 times more likely to each this type of food (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Strengthening nutritional support by therapeutic education sessions is a key strategy that should be implemented to improve dietary habits among type 2 diabetic patients in Ivory Coast.
Keywords: diabetes; dietary habits; nutritional education; Ivory Coast.