The influence of food fads and fallacies on food habit and consumption pattern of diabetic patients in Federal Medical Center Umuahia Abia State Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Nutritionists, health professionals, and the public are concerned about the increasing number of misinformation on foods and nutrition available; such misinformation results in economic and nutritional exploitation of the public.

Objective: The study assessed the influence of food fads and fallacies on food habits and consumption pattern of diabetic patients in Federal Medical Center Umuahia, Abia State Nigeria.

Methods: The study was a cross sectional design. A convenient sampling technique was used to select the 30 respondents who visited the hospital for check up on the day of the survey. Questionnaire and interview were the instruments for data collection. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze food habits and consumption pattern, mean and standard deviation was used for food fads and fallacies while inferential statistics (point bi-serial correlation) was used to assess the influence of food fads and fallacies on food habits.

Results: The results revealed that 53.3% of the respondents were males, 46.7%were females, 50.0% had secondary education and 46.7% were between ages 51-60 years. The main food fads and fallacies among diabetics identified included that semolina is better for diabetic patients (4.30±0.84) and eating bitter foods can cure diabetes (4.07±0.78). No significant relationship existed between meal skipping and food fads and fallacies.

Conclusion: Food fads and fallacies existed among diabetes patients as many of the fads and fallacies had means above the average of 3.00. Therefore, correct and authentic information concerning foods should be made available to all through multiple channels.

Keywords: Food habit, fads, fallacies, diabetes and food