Eating Disorders, Psychological Distress, Self Care, Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM), Youth
Conditions
Keywords
Psychological Distress, Eating Disorder Risk, Self-Care, Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Youth, Adherence, Diet, Exercise, Adolescence
Brief summary
This is a multicenter, observational, cross-sectional study of young people aged 10 to 25 with type 1 diabetes in Spain, affiliated with a diabetes association or federation. Data will be collected through an online questionnaire in which participants voluntarily and anonymously self-report their responses. The study aims to assess psychological factors (psychological distress, risk of eating disorders, and self-perceived health status), health care behaviors (treatment adherence, diet, and physical activity), and sociodemographic data, exploring differences by age and sex and examining associations between variables.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
University of Alicante
Study design
Observational model
OTHER
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
10 Years to 25 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (diagnosed). * Affiliated with any diabetes association or federation in Spain. * Aged between 10 and 25 years. * Individuals who are willing to participate (for adults) or whose legal guardians provide consent (for minors).
Exclusion criteria
\- None.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Psychological Distress | Day 1 | Psychological distress was assessed using the 2-item Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS2; short form of the Diabetes Distress Scale), a validated questionnaire that measures diabetes-related emotional burden and distress associated with disease management. The scale consists of two items scored from 1 to 6. The final score is calculated as the mean of the two item responses, resulting in a total score ranging from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater diabetes-related psychological distress. A score of ≥3 is considered indicative of clinically significant diabetes distress. |
| Risk of Eating Disorders | Day 1 | Risk of eating disorders was assessed using the Diabetes Eating Problem Survey-Revised (DEPS-R), a validated questionnaire that screens for disordered eating behaviors in individuals with type 1 diabetes. The questionnaire consists of 16 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (never, sometimes, often, usually, or always). The total score is calculated by summing the item responses, resulting in a score ranging from 0 to 80, with higher scores indicating greater risk of disordered eating behaviors. A score of ≥20 is considered indicative of risk for an eating disorder in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. |
| Self-perceived Health Status | Day 1 | Self-perceived health status will be assessed using a single-item question ("How healthy do you think you are?"), rated on a 5-point Likert scale, where 1 represents "very unhealthy" and 5 represents "very healthy." |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Age | Day 1 | Age will be recorded in years at the time of study participation. |
| Gender | Day 1 | Gender will be self-reported by participants as part of the sociodemographic information. |
| Diabetes Duration | Day 1 | Diabetes duration will be recorded as the number of years since the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes at the time of study participation. |
| Weight | Day 1 | Weight will be self-reported by participants in kilograms at the time of study participation. |
| Height | Day 1 | Height will be self-reported by participants in centimeters at the time of study participation. |
| Body Mass Index (BMI) | Day 1 | BMI was calculated as weight (kg) divided by height squared (m²). |
| Treatment Adherence | Day 1 | Treatment adherence was assessed using the Diabetes Management Questionnaire (DMQ), a validated instrument that evaluates adherence to prescribed diabetes care regimens. The questionnaire consists of 20 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. The total score is calculated by summing the item responses, with some items reverse-scored, resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better adherence to diabetes self-management and treatment recommendations. No established clinical cut-off values exist for adolescents with type 1 diabetes. |
| Adherence to the Mediterranean diet | Day 1 | Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed using the KIDMED questionnaire, a validated instrument that evaluates dietary habits and quality in young people. The questionnaire consists of 16 items with yes/no responses, with some items scored positively and others negatively. The total score is calculated by summing the item responses, resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 12. Higher scores indicate better adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Adherence is categorized as follows: 8 points - Optimal Mediterranean diet, indicating excellent adherence; 4-7 points - Needs improvement, indicating a need to adjust dietary patterns toward the Mediterranean model; ≤3 points - Very low-quality diet, indicating poor adherence. |
| Physical Activity | Day 1 | Physical activity was assessed using the Adolescent Physical Literacy Questionnaire (APALQ), a validated instrument that measures frequency, duration, and intensity of physical activity in young people. The questionnaire consists of 5 items rated on a Likert-type scale (never, 1-2 times a month, once a week, 2-3 times a week, and 4 or more times a week). The total score is calculated by summing the item responses, resulting in a total score ranging from 5 to 25, with higher scores indicating greater frequency and intensity of physical activity. |
Countries
Spain
Outcome results
None listed