Healthy Eating in Balance: Psychosocial and Structural Predictors of Diabetes Eating-Related Stress among Youth with Type 1 Diabetes.
Nourse, Georgia
Nourse, Georgia
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Abstract
Objectives: Adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) experience elevated distress, and increased diabetes distress is associated with worse psychosocial and physical health outcomes. One of the most common stressors for adolescents with T1D is eating, as eating is central to both the medical management of T1D and to the prevention of long-term cardiovascular disease. However, there is limited research on modifiable psychosocial factors that are associated with diabetes eating-related stress in adolescents with T1D. This paper examines how family and peer support for cardioprotective eating behaviors, both for managing diabetes and coping with general life stressors, as well as the quality of the home food environment, are associated with eating-related stress in teens with T1D. Methods: Adolescents with T1D (N=57) aged 13-17 participated in a baseline study assessment for a larger project examining physical activity and diabetes outcomes. At baseline, adolescents completed surveys assessing their perceptions of their home food environment (Flexible Consumer Behavior Survey), diabetes-related stress (Diabetes Stress Questionnaire Short Form), T1D quality of life, healthy eating (Social Support for Healthy Eating), and their confidence in their ability to use coping strategies in the face of adversity (Coping Self-Efficacy Scale). Primary caregivers completed a survey measure that assessed their perceptions of their home food environment (NHANES Flexible Consumer Behavior Survey), Results: There was a significant negative association observed between greater general family and peer support and lower eating related stress (r=-.35, p<.01). Lower eating related stress was significantly positively associated with lower access to fruits and veggies in the home food environment (r=.36, p<.01). No significant associations were observed between eating related stress and social support for healthy eating, diabetes specific support from family, and diabetes specific support from peers. Conclusions: Results of these analyses suggest that general family and peer support may be beneficial for adolescents with T1D regarding experiences of eating-related diabetes stress. Additionally, these results suggest that a more cardioprotective home food environment may be associated with higher levels of eating-related stress. Future interventions should explore social support as a potential way to decrease eating-related stress, as well as further examine the relationship between a highly cardioprotective home food environment and increased eating related stress among youth with T1D.
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Date
1/1/2026
Student Status
Senior (Graduating in 2026)
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Type of presentation
Poster
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Psychological Science
College/School
College of Arts and Sciences
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Social Science