Disinhibited eating, anxiety and depression noted in youth genetically predisposed to type 2 diabetes: Study

USA: A recent study showed that youth with a parent with type 2 diabetes (P-T2D) reported higher symptoms of depression and anxiety and disinhibited eating behaviors versus those without P-T2D. The study appears in the journal Pediatric Diabetes. 

Previous studies have reported a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes aming children whose parents have type 2 diabetes. However, it is not known if youth with P-T2D reported greater psychological and behavioral symptoms compared to those without a P-T2D. To find more about the topic, Taylor N. Swanson, Metis Foundation, San Antonio, Texas, USA, and colleagues aimed to compare youth with and without a P-T2D on symptoms of negative affect and disinhibited-eating.

For this purpose, 932 youth (13.3 ± 2.6 years; BMIz 1.06 ± 1.06; 67.8% female; 53.6% people of color; 10.7% with a P-T2D) completed questionnaires of anxiety and depressive symptoms, eating in the absence of hunger, and emotional-eating. Loss-of-control (LOC)-eating was assessed by interview. 

In two separate subsamples, the researchers explored energy intake using laboratory test meals simulating eating in the absence of hunger and LOC-eating, respectively.