India is considered as the diabetes capital of the world. Diabetes is associated with several other co-morbidities such as kidney diseases, liver diseases, and hypertension resulting in poor quality of life. Despite the available comprehensive diabetes management plans, the lack of proper knowledge, attitude, and practices towards diabetes is the major cause of non-compliance in the diabetes patients. Therefore, this study was aimed at evaluating the prevailing knowledge, attitude, and practices along with the evaluation of the nutritional status in a cohort of Indian elderly diabetic patients (age 65-76). Nutritional status was evaluated by the WHO criteria and MNA scoring system. Demographic and anthropometric data were collected retrospectively by review of history. Knowledge, attitude, practice, and total KAP scores were evaluated by a pre-designed questionnaire-based survey. All the statistical analysis was done by SPSS version 21. Five hundred participants with diabetes were included in the study. There were 250 males (50%) and 250 female participants (50%). The mean age was 69.24 ± 2.49 years. The mean duration of diabetes was 7.84 ± 3.81 years. As per the WHO criteria, 41 (8.2%) participants were normal, 1 (0.2%) overweight, 425 (85%) pre-obese, and 33 (6.6%) obese. As per MNA scoring, 477 (95.4%) had normal nutritional status, 18 (3.6%) were at risk of malnutrition, and 5 (1%) were malnourished. The mean knowledge score was 5.34 ± 1.06, 165 (33%) had good knowledge and 335 (67%) had poor knowledge. The mean attitude score was 11.97 ± 3.96, 181 (36.2%) had good attitude and 319 (63.8%) had poor attitude. The mean practice score was 10.31 ± 1.71, 201 (40.2%) had good practice score and 299 (59.8%) had poor practice score. The total KAP score was 27.60 ± 5.39, 201 (40.2%) had good total KAP score and 299 (59.8%) had poor total KAP score. Males had better knowledge, attitude, practice, and total KAP scores as compared to females. There was no significant difference in nutritional status between males and females. Higher education, duration of diabetes, and occupation were positively associated with the KAP scores. Overall, the knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were poor in a majority of the participants suggesting strict implementation of educational programs to educate the people about diabetes knowledge to improve their attitude and practice towards diabetes.

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