Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Neophobia, pickiness and diet variety are associated with diet quality and health outcomes in young children. Limited research has examined these associations among youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D), a population at risk for poor health outcomes when dietary quality is inadequate. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Youth (n=252, age 13.2 ± 2.8 years, 92% white, diabetes duration 6.3 ± 3.4 years) with T1D and their parents completed 3-day youth diet records; parents completed questionnaires regarding youth neophobia, pickiness and diabetes management adherence. Medical records provided biomedical data. Dietary quality indicators included Nutrient-Rich Foods Index 9.3 (NRF9.3), Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005), Whole Plant Food Density (WPFD) and key single nutrients. Dietary variety was operationalized as a count of 20 recommended food groups consumed. Relationships of dietary quality and diabetes management adherence with neophobia, pickiness and dietary variety as independent variables were examined using multiple linear regression analyses adjusted for total energy intake, age, height and weight. RESULTS: In multiple linear regression analyses, NRF9.3 and HEI-2005 were each inversely associated with neophobia and pickiness, and positively associated with dietary variety. WPF and potassium were each positively associated and saturated fat was inversely associated with dietary variety. However, in models simultaneously including neophobia, pickiness and dietary variety as independent correlates of dietary quality, only relationships with dietary variety remained significant. Diabetes management adherence was negatively associated with both neophobia and pickiness and positively associated with dietary variety. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that increasing dietary variety may contribute toward improved dietary quality among youth with T1D, despite potentially adverse influences of neophobia and pickiness.