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Nutrition

Our researchers are trying to learn more about the effect different types of food have on blood glucose levels and how to give the best insulin dose to manage a variety of foods.

Our researchers are trying to learn more about the effect different types of food have on blood glucose levels and how to give the best insulin dose to manage a variety of foods.

Our studies

Quality vs Quantity Study

RECRUITING NOW

To investigate the role of dietary intake and the health of children with type 1 diabetes. 

For more information or to participate, click here 

Food Frequency Questionnaire

RECRUITING NOW

To investigate what children and adolescents diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are eating.

For more information or to participate, click here

Mobile food record

RECRUITING NOW

To investigate the feasibility of using an image-based dietary assessment method (the Mobile Food Record) to assess the food intake of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

For more information or to participate, click here.

Coeliac study

FINISHED RECRUITING - Analysis underway

To determine the impact of commencing a gluten-free diet on glycaemic variability in children and young people with type 1 diabetes and newly-diagnosed coeliac disease compared with matched type 1 diabetes-only group.

Food insecurity and type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents

RECRUITING NOW 

To investigate the role of food insecurity in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes in Western Australia.

This study aims to collect information on nutrition issues related to food insecurity and how common it is among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families with children with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes attending Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH).

The findings from this study will help the clinical team understand some of the challenges families face when trying to eat better. The findings will help guide future research into food insecurity and interventions to help address food insecurity and support Aboriginal families.

Low carbohydrate diets in the management of type 1 diabetes in young children

FINISHED RECRUITING - Thematic analysis underway

To investigate the experiences, knowledge and attitudes of carers of young children with type 1 diabetes who are implementing a low-carbohydrate diet to help manage blood glucose levels.

Difficult food survey

STUDY FINISHED

We want to identify the types of foods adolescents and parents of children with type 1 diabetes find to be problematic for controlling postprandial blood glucose levels.

Identification of individual patterns of postprandial glycaemia in type 1 diabetes

STUDY FINISHED

To investigate the intra-individual and inter-individual variability in the time to peak postprandial glucose excursion in young people with type 1 diabetes under free-living conditions.

Publication: Bell E, Binkowski S, Sanderson E, Keating BL, Smith GJ, Harray AJ, Davis EA. Substantial Intra-Individual Variability in Post-Prandial Time to Peak in Controlled and Free-Living Conditions in Children with Type 1 Diabetes. Nutrients. 2021; 13(11):4154. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13114154

Gastrointestinal hormones in response to meals of varying macronutrient compositions

STUDY FINISHED

Investigate the change in secretion of gastrointestinal hormones on consumption of different meals to inform the mechanisms responsible for different insulin requirements.

Publication: Harray AJ, Binkowski S, Keating BL, Horowitz M, Standfield S, Smith GJ, Paramalingam N, Jones TW, King BR, Smart CEM, Davis EA. Effects of Dietary Fat and Protein on Glucoregulatory Hormones in Adolescents and Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2022; 107(1):e205–e213. https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgab614

Linear carb study

STUDY FINISHED

To determine the relationship between carbohydrate quantity and the dose of insulin, more specifically to demonstrate that the current linear insulin to carbohydrate ratio is too steep resulting in an increase in hypoglycaemic events.

Publication: Cordon, NM, Smart, CEM, Smith, GJ, et al. The relationship between meal carbohydrate quantity and the insulin to carbohydrate ratio required to maintain glycaemia is non-linear in young people with type 1 diabetes: A randomized crossover trial. Diabet Med. 2022; 39:e14675. https://doi.org/10.1111/dme.14675

High protein/high fat study

STUDY FINISHED

To determine the insulin requirement, both dose and pattern of delivery, for a high-fat high-protein meal compared to a low-fat, low-protein control meal in the 5 hour postprandial period.

Publication: Barbara Keating, Carmel E M Smart, Amelia J Harray, Nirubasini Paramalingam, Grant Smith, Timothy W Jones, Bruce R King, Elizabeth A Davis, Additional Insulin Is Required in Both the Early and Late Postprandial Periods for Meals High in Protein and Fat: A Randomized Trial, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2021;, dgab318, https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgab318

Protein study

STUDY FINISHED

Determine the insulin requirement, both dose and pattern of delivery, for a high-protein meal compared to a low protein meal in the 5 hour postprandial period.

Publication: Evans M, Smart CE, Paramalingam N, Smith G, Jones TW, King BR, and Davis EA. Dietary protein impacts both the dose and pattern of insulin delivery required to achieve postprandial euglycaemia in Type 1 Diabetes in randomised trial. Diabetic Medicine. Vol 36, 499–504, 2019. doi: 10.1111/dme.13875

Insulin dosing methods

STUDY FINISHED

To compare the impact of using the Pankowska Equation, the Food Insulin Index and carbohydrate counting on postprandial glucose excursions following a high fat and a high protein meal.

Publication: Lopez PE, Evans M, King BR, Jones TW, Bell K, McElduff P, Davis EA and Smart CE. A randomized comparison of three prandial insulin dosing algorithms for children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes. Diabetic Medicine, Vol 35(10) 1440-1447, 2018. Doi:10.1111/dme.13703

Pancake study

STUDY FINISHED

Determine the separate and combined effects of high-protein and high-fat meals, with the same carbohydrate content, on postprandial glycaemia in children using intensive insulin therapy.

Publication: Smart CE, Evans M, O’Connell SM, McElduff P, Lopez PE, Jones TW, Davis EA and King BR. Both dietary protein and fat increase postprandial glucose excursions in children with type 1 diabetes, and the effect is additive. Diabetes Care. Vol 36(12), 3897-3902, 2013. doi: 10.2337/dc13-1195