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Abstract

Nutrition Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Mopani District, Limpopo Province, South Africa †

by
Bongi Donisa Khosa
1,*,
Ditope Anna Rabodiba
2 and
Sefora Hazel Moshoaneng Makuse
2
1
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Letaba Hospital, Tzaneen 0870, Limpopo, South Africa
2
Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Limpopo, Polokwane 0727, Limpopo, South Africa
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
Presented at Faculty of Health Sciences: 8th Annual Research Day, Polokwane, South Africa, 17–18 September 2025.
Proceedings 2025, 130(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025130031
Published: 26 November 2025
Versions Notes

Background: Adequate knowledge of glycaemic control can promote healthier dietary choices, while a positive attitude toward dietary management may help regulate blood glucose levels. Furthermore, adherence to dietitian-recommended practices can prevent complications associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
Objective: To investigate the relationship between nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) and socio-demographic factors among adults diagnosed with T2DM in Mopani District, Limpopo Province, South Africa.
Methods: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 266 adults with type 2 diabetes at 10 rural primary health care (PHC) centres in Greater Tzaneen Municipality. Data were collected using a researcher-administered, close-ended questionnaire assessing socio-demographics and nutrition-related KAP. Ethical clearance and informed consent were obtained, and confidentiality was ensured. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 27.0 using descriptive statistics, chi-squared tests for associations, and binary logistic regression to identify predictors of KAP outcomes.
Results: Approximately 58.3% knew that consuming sugar does not directly cause diabetes, while 85.7% perceived a diabetic diet as expensive. Positive attitudes toward dietary management were significantly associated with employment status (p = 0.039) and education level (p = 0.043). Dietary practices were significantly associated with education level (p = 0.001) and income (p = 0.001). Nutrition knowledge was higher among participants who had consulted a dietitian and those with a T2DM duration of four to five years. Better attitudes were observed among employed participants and those with diploma/certificate qualifications. Dietary practices were linked to occupation and duration of diabetes.
Conclusions: Nutrition knowledge, attitude, and practices among adults with T2DM in Mopani District are influenced by socio-demographic factors, including education, employment, income, and disease duration. These findings underscore the importance of targeted nutrition education and support interventions to improve glycaemic control and prevent complications.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, B.D.K.; methodology, B.D.K., D.A.R. and S.H.M.M.; software, B.D.K.; validation, D.A.R. and S.H.M.M.; formal analysis, B.D.K. and D.A.R.; investigation, B.D.K.; resources, B.D.K.; data curation, B.D.K., D.A.R. and S.H.M.M.; writing original draft, B.D.K.; writing review and editing, B.D.K., D.A.R. and S.H.M.M.; visualization, B.D.K.; supervision, D.A.R. and S.H.M.M.; project administration, B.D.K., D.A.R. and S.H.M.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

No external funding were received for the research.

Institutional Review Board Statement

The study was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration and was approved by the University of Limpopo Research and Ethics committee (TREC 122/2020: PG). Permission to use the PHC center was also granted by the Limpopo Provincial Department of Health.

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all the participants in the study.

Data Availability Statement

Data supporting the reported results can be found from the corresponding author upon request.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Khosa, B.D.; Rabodiba, D.A.; Makuse, S.H.M. Nutrition Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Mopani District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Proceedings 2025, 130, 31. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025130031

AMA Style

Khosa BD, Rabodiba DA, Makuse SHM. Nutrition Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Mopani District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Proceedings. 2025; 130(1):31. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025130031

Chicago/Turabian Style

Khosa, Bongi Donisa, Ditope Anna Rabodiba, and Sefora Hazel Moshoaneng Makuse. 2025. "Nutrition Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Mopani District, Limpopo Province, South Africa" Proceedings 130, no. 1: 31. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025130031

APA Style

Khosa, B. D., Rabodiba, D. A., & Makuse, S. H. M. (2025). Nutrition Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Mopani District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Proceedings, 130(1), 31. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025130031

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