Dietary Habits of an Ambulatory Diabetic Population at the University Hospital of Conakry, Guinea

Background: A healthy diet is essential for optimal diabetes management. However, dietary habits vary from one region to another, making it challenging to standardize practices. Objective: To describe the diet habits of patients living with diabetes in Guinea. Methods: We conducted a dietary habits survey among 102 patients living with diabetes followed-up at the University Hospital of Conakry in Guinea between January and March 2012. Data were collected by individual interview on the basis of a three-item questionnaire: diabetes data, diet mode, and food composition. Results: In total, 85% of patients were consuming 3 meals daily;13.7% had a collation and 25% had snacking habits. The meal was individual in 82.4% and collective in 17.6% of patients. The main foods consumed daily were: rice (93.1%), fish (93.1%), palm oil (91.1%), bread (87.2%). Foods consumed regularly (2 to 3 times a week) were: meat (49%), eggs (23.5%), dairy products (34.3%), fruit (43.1%), vegetables (40.2%) and peanut oil (21.5%). The food bans reported were: regular sugar (100%), sodas (62.7%), peanuts (84.3%) and sweetened fruits (55.8%). Conclusion: Combining dietary recommendations and dietary habits is essential for appropriate management of diabetic patients. The assessment of local food glycemic indexes and the training of dietitians remains a challenge in our context.