Evaluation of the nutritional status of children with type 1 diabetes and their healthy siblings

Background
Although there are studies evaluating the psychological adjustment of healthy children when their siblings have type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), no study evaluating their nutritional status exists. Thus, this study aimed to determine the nutritional status of children with T1DM and their healthy siblings.

Material and methods
Data from a control group, healthy siblings, and patients who were followed and treated for T1D in the Paediatric Gastroenterology and Paediatric Endocrinology outpatient clinics of the Health Sciences University Gülhane Medical Faculty between November 2019 and November 2020 were analysed and compared. The groups were compared in terms of nutritional characteristics, daily macro and micronutrient intakes and classified according to their body mass index (BMI) Z-scores.

Results
The study population consisted of 29 children with T1DM (51.7% female, 48.3% male; age: 11.00 ±3.66 years), 36 healthy siblings of children with T1D (50% female, 50% male; age: 9.61 ±4.84 years), and a control group of 58 healthy children (51.7% female, 48.3% male; age: 10.68 ±3.01years).The BMI Z-score of 28.6%of healthy siblings and 25% of children with T1D was > 1 SD or overweight. All of the control group children were of normal weight. None of the children were obese; however, the overweight rate was significantly higher in the healthy siblings and diabetes groups compared to the control group (p = 0.012). Daily energy intake (%) was significantly higher in the control group than in the healthy siblings (p < 0.001).

Conclusions
A quarter of the children with T1D over five years of age were overweight. In addition, healthy siblings were found to have higher BMI Z-scores than controls. This is the first study to evaluate the nutritional status of siblings of patients with T1D and will hopefully lead to more comprehensive studies that will also assess their daily exercise and physical activity.