Fewer than half of children and young adults who took part in a national multi-center study of young people with diabetes meet current dietary recommendations for many nutrients, potentially making treatment and management of their diabetes much more difficult, according to researchers at the University of South Carolina and other institutions.

The researchers analyzed at the nutrient intakes of nearly 1,700 10-to-22-year-olds who took part in the five-year nationwide SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study. SEARCH is a multi-center study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, focusing on children in the United States who have diabetes. Participants in the study had either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes for at least 12 months.

The researchers found that less than half the participants met current dietary recommendations for total fat, vitamin E, fiber, fruits, vegetables and grains, "although a majority met recommendations for vitamin C, calcium and iron."

The researchers note that dietary recommendations for youth with diabetes "are based on strong scientific evidence regarding intake of specific nutrients and foods in relation to physiologic health outcomes, including appropriate growth and development through adolescent years and optimizing metabolic status…. Further work to better understand the barriers to healthful dietary habits and to identify effective approaches to improving dietary intake in youth with diabetes is urgently needed."