Assessment Of Dietary Compliance And Physical Exercise Among Hypertensive Patients Attending Medical Outpatient Clinic In University Of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku-Ozalla

ABSTRACT

The management of hypertension is tripartite in nature: medication, physical exercise

and dietary modification. While medication is curative, physical exercise and dietary

modification are both preventive and curative. Dietary and lifestyle changes can improve

blood pressure control and decrease the risk of health complications, although treatment

with medication is still often necessary in people for whom lifestyle changes are not

enough. Physical exercise regimes which are shown to reduce blood pressure include

isometric resistance exercises, aerobic exercise, resistance exercise etc. However,

substantial literature and research have shown that hypertensive patients rarely comply

with these lifestyle changes with the resultant effect that even the medication does not

seem to have effect in the long run. Hence the purpose of the study is to assess

compliance with dietary modification and physical exercise among hypertensive patients

attending Medical Out-Patient Clinic in UNTH. The objectives were to: identify dietary

practices adopted by hypertensive patients in the study area; determine the extent of

compliance with dietary modification among hypertensive patients that attend UNTH

Medical Outpatient Clinic; determine the extent of compliance with physical exercises

among hypertensive patients in UNTH, and establish the relationship between

demographic factors and compliance to modifications in dietary practices and physical

exercise activities. A cross-sectional descriptive survey research design was employed

and a sample of 240 hypertensive patients was drawn from patients attending Out

Patient Clinic in UNTH. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square statistical test were used

for data analyses. Findings revealed that 56(23.3%), 142(59.20%) and 65(27.08%) of

respondents complied with dietary modification, dietary practices and physical exercises

activities respectively. The study concluded that there was poor compliance to dietary

modification, and physical exercises among the study population. It is therefore

recommended that health care providers should intensify health education on the need

for dietary compliance and physical exercises as primary strategies to control blood

pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems.