Glycemic variability and weight-focused eating behaviors among adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes†

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) disease management and associated glycemic fluctuations can disrupt experiences of hunger and satiety, which may increase risk for disordered eating behaviors. Glycemic variability may be a useful trigger for just-in-time interventions for disordered eating behaviors. In this exploratory study, we hypothesized that two metrics of glycemic variability would be associated with greater hunger and predict eating behaviors for weight loss or maintenance in adolescents and young adults with T1D.

Individuals with T1D were recruited from a university diabetes clinic (N = 34; 50% female, Mage = 19.53 years, MHbA1c = 7.98%; 29% Hispanic/Latinx; 79% White). Participants wore a blinded continuous glucose monitor for 5 days, and completed ecological momentary assessments (four prompts per day) that included measures of hunger and eating behaviors for weight loss or maintenance purposes. Generalized and linear mixed models were used to test hypotheses.

Approximately 30% of participants were at risk for an eating disorder based on Diabetes Eating Problem Survey-Revised scores. Greater glycemic variability did not predict hunger, but was associated with increased odds of endorsing any eating behavior for weight loss or maintenance purposes within-person (ps<.05). Greater hunger was associated with increased odds of endorsing disordered eating behavior within-person (p<.05).

This exploratory study provides some preliminary evidence that times of greater hunger and glycemic variability may be when individuals with T1D may be at higher risk of engaging in behaviors to lose or maintain weight.