Common dietary patterns and their effects on blood pressure control among hypertensive clients at Mukono General Hospital. A cross-sectional analytical study.

Background The DASH diet is characterized by high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, reduced salt, legumes, and nuts. This study investigates common dietary patterns and their effect on hypertension control among clients at Mukono General Hospital. Methodology A cross-sectional analytical design was employed. A sample of 101 hypertensive outpatients aged 18-75 years was selected using systematic random sampling from the NCD clinic in June 2025. Primary data were collected via researcher-administered structured questionnaires, including a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) to assess dietary patterns and a digital sphygmomanometer for blood pressure (BP) measurements (average of two readings taken. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, with descriptive statistics for dietary patterns, chi-square tests for bivariate associations, and binary logistic regression for adjusted odds ratios (AOR) at p