Quality or Quantity: The Role of Carbohydrate in the Health of Children with Diabetes.

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There are an increasing number of families attending the Diabetes Clinic at Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) who are using low carbohydrate (CHO) diets in an attempt to control blood glucose levels. However, little is known about what these children are eating and their overall nutritional status. The use of these diets is often promoted for weight loss in adults; however, there is minimal evidence on the short and long-term impacts on the use in children. As such, they are not promoted in clinical guidelines or in the clinical setting and families are seeking advice elsewhere such as non-evidence based online forums. This study aims to determine if children with T1D on low CHO diets are at greater risk of poor nutritional status, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and poor psychosocial functioning, compared to those who meet the daily recommended CHO targets for children. The findings will directly inform future studies and clinical practice to benefit children with T1D. All children aged 10 years and younger with T1D for more than 1 year will be invited to participate in the study. A population–based sample of 100 children will attend PCH on one occasion to measure: non-fasting bloods (to assess biomarkers for malnutrition, cardiovascular disease, kidney and liver function); height; weight; blood pressure; bone density and body composition (using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)) and; questionnaires to assess physical activity and psychosocial functioning. Participating families will complete a 4-day food diary to assess dietary intake, which will be entered into a nutrient analysis program. Statistical analyses will determine associations between proportion of energy from CHO, types of CHO-containing foods, nutritional status and risk factors for co-morbidities.

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