ASSESSMENT OF PREVALENT DIETARY PATTERN AMONG PROSTATE CANCER PATIENTS IN ONDO CITY, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Background: Understanding the prevalent dietary patterns and their implications for prostate cancer is crucial for informing targeted public health interventions and dietary guidelines. Objectives: This study investigated the dietary patterns influencing prostate cancer in Ondo City, Ondo State, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among men aged 30 years and above, diagnosed with prostate cancer at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital. Ethical approval was obtained from the UNIMEDTHC Review Committee (Protocol No. UNIMED/024/ERC/150). Data were collected using structured questionnaires, 24-hour dietary recalls, and food frequency questionnaires. Analysis was performed with IBM SPSS version 27.0 to evaluate dietary patterns and lifestyle practices. Results: The findings revealed high consumption of carbohydrate staples such as rice (30.1%) and cassava-based products including “fufu” (21.9%), with moderate protein intake primarily from red meat (27.4%) and beans (21.9%). Daily fruit and vegetable intake were reported by 49.3% of respondents, while physical inactivity (58.9%) and alcohol consumption (60.3%) were common lifestyle factors. Additionally, 69.9% reported relief from symptoms after drinking cold water while 49.3% experienced relief from warm water. Pearson correlation showed a significant relationship between dietary habits and prostate cancer (p = 0.038) leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. Conclusion: The study highlights a strong association between dietary patterns and prostate cancer. Public health strategies should therefore promote balanced diets, create awareness of dietary risks, and encourage healthy lifestyle practices to reduce the burden of prostate cancer.