A Brief Nutrition Questionnaire for Children With Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Diabetes Management
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Carbohydrate counting is crucial for managing type 1 diabetes (T1D) and is typically taught at diagnosis.
• Assessing foundational nutrition knowledge is vital for effective T1D self-management.
• Identifying knowledge gaps early can improve educational interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and validate a nutrition quiz for assessing carbohydrate counting and nutrition knowledge in newly diagnosed T1D patients.
• To evaluate the feasibility and reliability of an interactive assessment tool for patients and caregivers.
• To identify potential disparities in nutrition knowledge based on insurance status.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of an interactive nutrition quiz.
• Validation of the quiz for newly diagnosed T1D patients and their caregivers.
• Analysis of quiz scores, including comparisons based on insurance type.

Main Results:

• The nutrition assessment was feasible and reliable for patients and caregivers.
• Participants with public insurance demonstrated lower overall scores compared to other groups.
• The assessment effectively identified fundamental carbohydrate counting and nutrition knowledge.

Conclusions:

• The developed nutrition quiz is a reliable tool for assessing T1D nutrition knowledge in newly diagnosed individuals.
• Patients with public insurance may require additional focus and support in nutrition education.
• This assessment can guide personalized educational strategies to improve T1D management outcomes.