Diet of adolescents with and without diabetes: Trading candy for potato chips?
OBJECTIVE
To compare the dietary intake of adolescents with type 1 diabetes with that of adolescents without diabetes matched on age, sex, and year in school and to compare the diets of both groups with recommendations.


METHODS
Participants were 132 adolescents with type 1 diabetes, recruited from Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, and 131 adolescents without diabetes ranging in age from 10.70 to 14.21 years. Dietary intake was assessed with three 24-h recall interviews with each participant and one parent. Percentage of calories from protein, carbohydrates, and total fat; amount of each type of fat; and amount of cholesterol, fiber, and sugar were calculated as averages across 3 days.


RESULTS
Adolescents with diabetes took in less total energy than recommended. The percentage of calories from carbohydrates and protein were within recommendations for adolescents with and without diabetes, but adolescents with diabetes exceeded the recommended fat intake. The diet of adolescents with diabetes consisted of a greater percentage of fat and protein and a smaller percentage of carbohydrates relative to adolescents without diabetes. Adolescents without diabetes consumed more sugar, while adolescents with diabetes took in more of all components of fat than adolescents without diabetes. Male subjects with diabetes had an especially high intake of saturated fat.


CONCLUSIONS
Adolescents with type 1 diabetes consume fewer calories from carbohydrates but more calories from fat than adolescents without diabetes and exceed the recommended levels of fat intake. These findings are of concern given the risk that type 1 diabetes poses for cardiovascular disease.
Helgeson
Vicki S
VS
Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. vh2e@andrew.cmu.edu
Viccaro
Laura
L
Becker
Dorothy
D
Escobar
Oscar
O
Siminerio
Linda
L
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002182:Candy; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet; D003927:Diet, Diabetic; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight; D044469:Racial Groups; D012016:Reference Values; D011198:Solanum tuberosum
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates