Household food insecurity and associations with hemoglobin A and acute diabetes-related complications in youth and young adults with type 1 diabetes: The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study.

Aims: To examine, among youth and young adults (YYA) with type 1 diabetes (T1D), the association of household food insecurity (HFI) with: 1) HbA and 2) episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and severe hypoglycemia.

Methods: HFI was assessed using the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module in SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth participants with T1D between 2016 and 2019. Linear and logistic regression models adjusted for age, diabetes duration, sex, race, ethnicity, clinic site, parent/participant education, household income, health insurance, and diabetes technology use.

Results: Of 1830 participants (mean age 20.8 ± 5.0 years, 70.0 % non-Hispanic White), HbA was collected for 1060 individuals (mean HbA1c 9.2 % ± 2.0 %). The prevalence of HFI was 16.4 %. In the past 12 months, 18.2 % and 9.9 % reported an episode of DKA or severe hypoglycemia, respectively. Compared to participants who were food secure, HFI was associated with a 0.33 % (95 % CI 0.003, 0.657) higher HbA level. Those with HFI had 1.58 (95 % CI 1.13, 2.21) times the adjusted odds of an episode of DKA and 1.53 (95 % CI 0.99, 2.37) times the adjusted odds of an episode of severe hypoglycemia as those without HFI.

Conclusions: HFI is associated with higher HbA levels and increased odds of DKA in YYA with T1D.