Dietary intake among youth with diabetes: the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study.
OBJECTIVE
To describe dietary intake among a large cohort of youth with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and to compare their intake with current nutrition recommendations.


METHODS
SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth is a multicenter study of diabetes in youth. Diet was assessed among youth aged 10 to 22 years who attended a SEARCH research clinic visit and completed a previous-week food frequency questionnaire that included foods to reflect the ethnic and regional diversity represented by the cohort.


METHODS
Included were 1,697 youth with physician-diagnosed diabetes mellitus (89% type 1 diabetes, 11% type 2 diabetes), with diabetes mellitus duration of at least 12 months.


METHODS
Descriptive data and comparisons with nutrition recommendations were unadjusted. Analyses of covariance with adjustment for total energy, clinic site, sex, race/ethnicity, age, and parental education were used to compare intake according to diabetes type.


RESULTS
Percent of energy from total fat was consistent at 37% to 38% across subgroups of age (10 to 14 years, >15 years) and diabetes type (ie, type 1 or type 2). Youth with type 2 diabetes consumed less calcium, magnesium, and vitamin E than youth with type 1 diabetes (P<0.01 for each). Intake of sweetened carbonated beverages among older (aged >15 years) youth with type 2 diabetes was twice that of older youth with type 1 diabetes (P<0.01). Only 6.5% of the cohort met American Diabetes Association recommendations of <10% of energy from saturated fat. Less than 50% met recommendations for total fat, vitamin E, fiber, fruits, vegetables, and grains, although a majority met recommendations for vitamin C, calcium, and iron.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, dietary intake in this large cohort of youth with diabetes substantially failed to meet current recommendations. There is a critical need for improvement in dietary intake in youth with diabetes.
Mayer-Davis
Elizabeth J
EJ
Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA.
Nichols
Michele
M
Liese
Angela D
AD
Bell
Ronny A
RA
Dabelea
Dana M
DM
Johansen
Judy M
JM
Pihoker
Catherine
C
Rodriguez
Beatriz L
BL
Thomas
Joan
J
Williams
Desmond
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000178:diet therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000178:diet therapy*; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables
D004041:Dietary Fats