Reported dietary intakes of patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: limitations of dietary recall.

Reported dietary intakes were assessed in young patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). We studied 44 IDDM patients (24 males, 20 females, mean +/- SD age 13.2 +/- 4.5 yr) and compared them with 44 healthy age- and sex-matched control subjects. Estimated intakes from 24-h dietary recall were analyzed in relation to body weight and degree of diabetes control. The reported energy intake of the IDDM patients with greater than 120% ideal body weight (IBW) for height was 66, 59/88% (where X = geometric mean, L1 = lower confidence limit/L2 = upper confidence limit) of recommended daily allowance (RDA), whereas those with IBW less than 120% reported 90, 67/120% (p less than 0.01). Patients with increased weights in comparison with IBW had higher hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels (11.9 +/- 2.7%) than those with weights more appropriate for IBW (9.7 +/- 2.4%, p less than 0.025). IDDM patients reported overconsumption of protein and fat, but their carbohydrate intake was low. Analysis of dietary recalls revealed high protein intake (X +/- SD, 20.0 +/- 5.0% of total calorie intake), especially in older (27 +/- 4%) compared with younger (19 +/- 2%-19 +/- 4%, p less than 0.01) patients. Proportions of carbohydrate, protein, and fat did not correlate with variations in body weight and/or HbA1c. The reported intake of protein per kilogram body weight was not significantly different between appropriate-weight and overweight IDDM patients. There was no significant difference in reported total energy intakes of IDDM patients compared with their healthy control subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)