Household food insecurity associated with increased odds of DKA
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Among young people with youth-onset type 2 diabetes, household food insecurity was linked to increased odds of diabetic ketoacidosis, but not glycemic control or severe hypoglycemia, according to results of a cross-sectional study.
“The etiology of type 2 diabetes in youth and young adults is not completely understood, but social determinants of health seem to play an important role, with low socioeconomic status a common demographic attribute,” Lauren A. Reid, PhD, postdoctoral research fellow in the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Carolina, and colleagues wrote. “Household food insecurity is one potentially modifiable attribute associated with being in a low socioeconomic status household.”
Researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from 395 youths and young adults with type 2 diabetes (mean age, 24.7 years; 67.5% female) enrolled in the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study (2015-2019). Household food insecurity was reported by young adult participants or the parents of minor participants through the U.S. Household Food Insecurity Survey Module. Researchers evaluated glycemic control through HbA1c and recorded acute complications, such as self-reported severe hypoglycemia or DKA, in the past year.
Approximately 31% of youths and young adults reported household food insecurity in the past year. Among these participants, mean HbA1c was 9.2% compared with 9.5% among participants without food insecurity. In addition, 56% of participants with food insecurity had an HbA1c of more than 9% compared with 55% without.
Overall, 14.4% of participants with food insecurity reported experiencing DKA, and 4.7% reported experiencing severe hypoglycemia. Those with food insecurity also had 3.08 times higher odds of experiencing DKA compared with those without.
Researchers observed no associations between food insecurity and glycemic control and no association between food insecurity and severe hypoglycemia.
“This study supports the American Diabetes Association recommendation to universally screen for and address food insecurity as tailored treatment to help people manage diabetes,” the researchers wrote. “Universal screening of food insecurity status may improve clinical care of people with diabetes and increase awareness of providers who can help guide those with household food insecurity to better manage their diabetes and to food assistance resources.”
Collapse
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts