The diabEAT Study: Insulin dElivery Technologies And eaTing Behaviours in People With Type 1 Diabetes

Summary

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune health condition that requires daily injections of insulin. Insulin allows the body to use energy from carbohydrates in food. Disordered eating behaviours, like restricting food intake to lose body weight, are more common in women and people with type 1 diabetes, compared to those without because they must practice carbohydrate counting. Carbohydrate counting means identifying, measuring, and planning carbohydrate intake to match insulin dosage. New technologies, such as automated insulin delivery (AID) systems adjust insulin delivery in a blood sugar responsive manner. AID is rapidly replacing conventional insulin delivery like injections or non-automated insulin pumps since it reduces management burden and improves blood sugar levels. It is not known if AID reduces food management and disordered eating behaviours. This study aims to: 1. investigate the relationship between AID and eating behaviours according to gender for youth (12 to 17 years), and adults (18 years and older). 2. Determine the limit of carbohydrate counting inaccuracy to maintain stable blood sugar levels according to insulin delivery method (AID, injections, or pumps). It is hypothesized that those who use AID will have lower disordered eating behaviours and will maintain stable blood sugar levels while allowing for higher carbohydrate counting inaccuracy. This will be a cross-sectional cohort study of people with type 1 diabetes who are 12 years of age or over. Participants will be recruited through the BETTER registry and social medias across Canada. This research is needed to improve nutrition guidelines for type 1 diabetes in the context of new technologies like AID. Evidence from this study may reduce food management burden, lower the risk of disordered eating behaviours, and prevent eating disorders and medical complications.

Conditions

• Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus
• Feeding and Eating Disorders
• Eating Behavior
• Type 1 Diabetes
• Autoimmune Diseases
• Endocrine System Diseases

Interventions

DEVICE

Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) Systems

AID automatically adjusts insulin delivery by using continuously measured blood glucose levels. AID use will be determined through the initial questionnaire through the following questions: Do you currently use the pump as an automated insulin delivery system (connected to a CGM with automated insulin adjustments)? Yes, a commercial AID with control IQ (Tandem) or SmartGuard (Medtronic) Yes, a non-commercial open-source do-it yourself AID (e.g., Loop) No, they use it as a manual (non-automated) pump or with a suspend on low functionality (e.g., Basal IQ) I prefer not to answer I don't know The type of AID system (hybrid, advanced hybrid, etc.) will also be confirmed. The exposure variable will be coded as a binary-categorical variable of AID use (yes or no) with no representing all other non-AID insulin pumps or injections.

BEHAVIORAL

Carbohydrate Counting Inaccuracy Percentage

Carbohydrate counting inaccuracy: will be determined by subtracting the estimated carbohydrates (by participant) by the actual amount of carbohydrate (through diet analysis) divided by the actual amount of carbohydrate, multiplied by 100, to determined the percentage. Estimated carbohydrate counts will be entered at each meal and snack by the participant in a daily log provided to the participant. Carbohydrate amounts will be collected through a 4-day food diary through the phone application Keenoa (carb count from the app will be blinded to the participant), and reviewed by a research assistant with education in dietetics.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Laval University

  collaborator OTHER

• Université de Montréal

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Windsor

  collaborator OTHER

• McGill University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Anne-Sophie Brazeau, PhD · McGill University

Eligibility

Min Age

12 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-07-29

Primary Completion

2026-01-31

Completion

2026-05-01

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations