Food Practices and Preferences in Youth With Diabetes

Abstract

Objectives. To determine where children with type 1 diabetes eat and with whom, how foods are prepared, their favorite foods, and food issues or conflicts regarding both portioning foods and types of food eaten and to examine the multiple factors that influence food intake in this population. Methods. Parent-child pairs (n = 299) completed a questionnaire that focused on where and with whom children eat and how their food is prepared. χ2 tests and ANOVA were calculated to determine differences between child and parent responses. Results. As reported by parents, children (78%) eat meals at home with the family 4–6 or more meals per week; 21% eat at home alone 4–6 or more meals per week; 27% eat at fastfood restaurants 2–3 or more meals per week, and 72% eat school lunch 2–3 or more times per week(58% almost every day). Confusion regarding portion skills was reported by 13%, 52% measure by “eye balling” only (estimating portions sizes), and 47% would like more information on portioning. Among parents, 37%reported disagreements with children over choices of food, and 28% reported disagreements over food portion sizes; 5% did not care about food portioning at all. Cooking from scratch was reported by 71% to occur ≥ 4 times per week (out of 21 meals per week), and 65% reported cooking prepackaged meals at least 2–3 times per week. Conclusions. Suggestions for eating at fast-food restaurants and schools; food-portioning skills for home, school, restaurants, and homes of friends; cooking from scratch and from prepackaged foods; incorporating favorite foods; and reading labels on prepackaged foods should be addressed for effective educational sessions.