Özet:

Aim: The study aims to “determine the relation between dietary habits and the quality of life of children/adolescents between the ages of 8-18 with Type-1 diabetes”. Material and Methods: The research is cross-sectional and descriptive nature and has been carried out on children/adolescents (n=127) with type 1 diabetes and their families (n=127) in the Pediatric Endocrine Polyclinic of a Training and Research Hospital. Data has been collected using Introductory Information Form for Children/Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes, Dietary Habits Assessment Form for Children/Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes, Quality of Life Scale for Children Diabetes Module Version 3.0 8-12 Year Old Child and Parent Report, Quality of Life Scale for Children Diabetes Module Version 3.0 13-18 Year Old Adolescent and Parent Report. Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis test used for data analysis. Results: According to the acquired data and comparing parents and the child/adolescent, children/adolescents have lower quality of life associated with diabetes compared to parents. Parents had better quality of life compared to children/adolescents (Z=7.04, p<0.001). Comparing diabetes related quality of life and knowledge of carbohydrate counting; children/adolescents stated that knowing carbohydrate counts did affect quality of life (p=0.001). Comparing the relation between diabetes related quality of life and HbA1c a negatively significant relation was found between HbA1c and the quality of life in children compared to parents (r=-0.23, p=0.012). The study found that quality of life was not affected overall even though there were shortcomings/mistakes in dietary habits. Conclusion: It was determined that dietary knowledge and relation with diabetes of the children/adolescents and their parents was insufficient or wrong. The research question “Do the dietary habits effect the diabetes related quality of life of children/adolescents?” was answered as “No”.

Anahtar Kelimeler: