Evaluation of quality of life and relationship between eating behavior attitude and nutrition status in adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Çelik, H., Evaluation of Quality of Life and Relationship between Eating Behavior Attitude and Nutritional Status in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes, Hacettepe University Graduate School of Health Sciences Nutrition Sciences Program Master Thesis, Ankara, 2019. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between eating behavior attitudes and nutritional status and quality of life in adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM). The study included 160 adolescents (48.75% female and 51.25% male) who were diagnosed as type 1 diabetes at least 1 year ago and under the continuous control of the Department of Pediatric Endocrinology at Trakya University Health Research and Application Center. The mean age of adolescents was 12.94 ± 2.93 years. Anthropometric measuruments and 24-hour dietaryrecall were collected from adolescents who participated in the study.Eating Disorders Questionnaire (DEPS-R) and Quality of Life Scale for Children were administered to adolescents. The DEPS-R score was ≥ 20 in 23.75% of adolescents (23.08% in girls and 24.39% in boys). A very strong linear relationship was found between total fat mass (g) and quality of life in girls aged 10 years (r = 0.909, p = 0.032). A positive, very strong linear relationship was found between total lean body mass and quality of life in boys aged 10 and 13 (r = 0.845, p = 0.034 and r = 0936, p = 0.006). Very strong negative correlation was found between total lean body mass and quality of life in 17-year-old girls (r = -1.000, p<0,001). A negative, weak, linear relationship was found between quality of life scores of adolescents with disordered eating problem (p <0.001). In conclusion, in this study, disordered eating problem was found approximately every four of one in adolescents with T1DM. Screening adolescents diagnosed with type-1 diabetes on a reliable scale, such as DEPS-R, regardless of gender, can be used as an effective tool in detecting the risk of eating disorders at an early stage and taking necessary measures within the scope of nutritional therapy. Key words: T1DM, Disordered eating behavior, DEPS-R, quality of life