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Volume 12
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Article

Detecting Disordered Eating Behaviors in Greek Youth with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus by Using the Diabetes Eating Problem Survey—Revised (DEPS-R): Associations with Insulin Restriction, Glycemic Control, and Anthropometric Parameters

by
Anastasia Oikonomou
1,
Athanasios Christoforidis
1,2,
Eleni P. Kotanidou
1,3,
Ioanna Giannopoulou
4,
Eleni Paschalidou
5,
Vasiliki Rengina Tsinopoulou
1,3,
Georgia Sotiriou
1,2,
Kyriaki Tsiroukidou
5 and
Assimina Galli-Tsinopoulou
1,3,*
1
Program of Postgraduate Studies “Adolescent Medicine and Adolescent Health Care”, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
2
1st Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokratio General Hospital, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece
3
2nd Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University General Hospital AHEPA, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
4
2nd Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon University General Hospital, 12462 Athens, Greece
5
3rd Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokratio General Hospital, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Children 2025, 12(6), 795; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12060795
Submission received: 6 May 2025 / Revised: 2 June 2025 / Accepted: 17 June 2025 / Published: 18 June 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Psychosocial Interventions in Children and Adolescents Living with Type 1 Diabetes)
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Abstract

Background/Objectives: This study assesses the prevalence of diabulimia in Greek children and adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) by using the Diabetes Eating Problem Survey—Revised (DEPS-R) questionnaire and addresses a gap in the literature on eating disorders (EDs) and disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) in this population. The DEPS-R threshold score of ≥20, although originally established in international studies, has also been applied in Greek adult validation studies. However, it has not yet been formally validated in Greek youth. Methods: Participants aged 9–18 years, diagnosed with T1DM a minimum of one year before the start of the study, were recruited from three pediatric departments in Thessaloniki and were asked to complete the Greek version of the DEPS-R questionnaire. Appropriate statistical analysis was employed to investigate the association of the DEPS-R score with anthropometric, demographic, and glycemic variables derived from the clinical assessment and the patient’s medical records. Results: Girls had significantly higher DEPS-R scores compared with boys. Significant positive associations were observed between the DEPS-R score and both age (r = 0.212, p = 0.020) and Body Mass Index (BMI) (r = 0.419, p < 0.001). A significant association with Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) (r = 0.182, p = 0.047) suggested that poorer glycemic control may be linked to disordered eating, although no significant associations were identified with physical activity or type of insulin therapy. Conclusions: Older age, higher Body Mass Index (BMI) and elevated Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels are associated with increased risk of disordered eating in youth with T1DM, especially in girls. Therefore, the implementation of early screening and targeted interventions is imperative.
Keywords: diabulimia; DEPS-R; adolescents; type 1 diabetes Mellitus; eating disorders; disordered eating behaviors diabulimia; DEPS-R; adolescents; type 1 diabetes Mellitus; eating disorders; disordered eating behaviors
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MDPI and ACS Style

Oikonomou, A.; Christoforidis, A.; Kotanidou, E.P.; Giannopoulou, I.; Paschalidou, E.; Tsinopoulou, V.R.; Sotiriou, G.; Tsiroukidou, K.; Galli-Tsinopoulou, A. Detecting Disordered Eating Behaviors in Greek Youth with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus by Using the Diabetes Eating Problem Survey—Revised (DEPS-R): Associations with Insulin Restriction, Glycemic Control, and Anthropometric Parameters. Children 2025, 12, 795. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12060795

AMA Style

Oikonomou A, Christoforidis A, Kotanidou EP, Giannopoulou I, Paschalidou E, Tsinopoulou VR, Sotiriou G, Tsiroukidou K, Galli-Tsinopoulou A. Detecting Disordered Eating Behaviors in Greek Youth with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus by Using the Diabetes Eating Problem Survey—Revised (DEPS-R): Associations with Insulin Restriction, Glycemic Control, and Anthropometric Parameters. Children. 2025; 12(6):795. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12060795

Chicago/Turabian Style

Oikonomou, Anastasia, Athanasios Christoforidis, Eleni P. Kotanidou, Ioanna Giannopoulou, Eleni Paschalidou, Vasiliki Rengina Tsinopoulou, Georgia Sotiriou, Kyriaki Tsiroukidou, and Assimina Galli-Tsinopoulou. 2025. "Detecting Disordered Eating Behaviors in Greek Youth with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus by Using the Diabetes Eating Problem Survey—Revised (DEPS-R): Associations with Insulin Restriction, Glycemic Control, and Anthropometric Parameters" Children 12, no. 6: 795. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12060795

APA Style

Oikonomou, A., Christoforidis, A., Kotanidou, E. P., Giannopoulou, I., Paschalidou, E., Tsinopoulou, V. R., Sotiriou, G., Tsiroukidou, K., & Galli-Tsinopoulou, A. (2025). Detecting Disordered Eating Behaviors in Greek Youth with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus by Using the Diabetes Eating Problem Survey—Revised (DEPS-R): Associations with Insulin Restriction, Glycemic Control, and Anthropometric Parameters. Children, 12(6), 795. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12060795

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