Multidisciplinary healthcare teams' challenges and strategies in supporting people with type 1 diabetes to recover from disordered eating

Safety of a co-designed cognitive behavioural therapy intervention for people with type 1 diabetes and eating disorders (STEADY): a feasibility randomised controlled trial

Background

Safe management of people with Type 1 diabetes and EAting Disorders studY (STEADY) is a complex intervention for people with type 1 diabetes and mild-to-moderate disordered eating (T1DE) integrating cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with diabetes education. Aim was to test feasibility of STEADY in a randomised controlled trial.

Methods

Feasibility parallel-group, randomised (blocks of four) controlled open-label trial (RCT) of STEADY against usual care (Control) at King's College London, UK. Participants were referred by clinicians or self-referred via social media advertisements. Forty adults with T1DE (Hba1c < 15%, body mass index 15-35 kg/m2, age ≥ 18 years) were randomised. STEADY was delivered in 12 sessions by a CBT-trained Diabetes Specialist Nurse through video-conferencing and mobile app. Main outcome at 6 months post-randomisation was feasibility. Baseline mental health data (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5, SCID-5RV), and secondary biomedical outcomes (HbA1c; glucose time in range; TIR) and person-reported outcome measures (PROM: Diabetes Eating Problems Survey-Revised, DEPS-R; Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire Short, EDE-QS; Type 1 Diabetes Distress Scale, T1DDS; Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment, GAD-7; Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9; Impact of Diabetes Profile, DIDP) were collected. Analyses were conducted as intention-to-treat. ClinicalTrials.govNCT05140564.

Findings

Of the 98 screened, 40 participants with T1DE were randomised (recruitment rate: 40.81%; 95% CI: 31.60%, 50.72%): 38 women, 1 man, 1 trans man (37 White, 1 White/Asian, 1 Black; 39 ± 11 years old, diabetes duration 22 ± 15 years, HbA1c 9.1 ± 2.6%). The drop-out rate was 3/20 = 15% (4.39%, 36.55%) in STEADY and 2/20 = 10% (1.57%, 31.32%) in Control. STEADY reported lower GAD-7 (5.75 ± 2.89 vs 10.18 ± 5.31, p = 0.0060) and higher DIDP (3.13 ± 0.63 vs 2.46 ± 0.87, p = 0.020) at follow-up compared with Control, indicating lower anxiety and higher diabetes-specific quality-of-life. Compared to baseline, STEADY improved in DEPS-R, EDE-QS, GAD-7, PHQ-9 and T1DDS.

Interpretation

The STEADY-feasibility RCT demonstrated proof-of-concept for feasibility and mental health improvements in T1DE without deteriorating glycaemic control. A full scale RCT of STEADY will test effectiveness and implementation.

Funding

National Institute for Health Research (CS-2017-17-023).

5. Facilitating Positive Health Behaviors and Well-being to Improve Health Outcomes: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2025

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) "Standards of Care in Diabetes" includes the ADA's current clinical practice recommendations and is intended to provide the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. Members of the ADA Professional Practice Committee, an interprofessional expert committee, are responsible for updating the Standards of Care annually, or more frequently as warranted. For a detailed description of ADA standards, statements, and reports, as well as the evidence-grading system for ADA's clinical practice recommendations and a full list of Professional Practice Committee members, please refer to Introduction and Methodology. Readers who wish to comment on the Standards of Care are invited to do so at professional.diabetes.org/SOC.

Protocol for the STEADY intervention for type 1 diabetes and disordered eating: Safe management of people with Type 1 diabetes and EAting Disorders studY

This paper describes the protocol to test the feasibility of the Safe management of people with Type 1 diabetes and EAting Disorders studY (STEADY) intervention. STEADY is a novel complex intervention for people with type 1 diabetes and disordered eating (T1DE) of mild to moderate severity. The STEADY intervention integrates cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with diabetes education, and was developed using Experience-Based Co-Design. METHODS: The feasibility of STEADY will be tested using a randomised controlled feasibility trial. Forty adults with T1DE will be recruited and randomised into the STEADY intervention or treatment as usual control group. We will collect demographic, biomedical and psychometric data, routine glucose metrics and conduct the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5. Participants randomised to the STEADY intervention will receive 12 STEADY therapy sessions with a diabetes specialist nurse trained in CBT, delivered via videoconference and an optional smartphone app. The main outcome at 6 months will be the feasibility of STEADY (recruitment, dropout rates, feasibility of delivery). The secondary outcomes are biomedical (HbA1c and glucose time in range) and psychological (person-reported outcome measures in disordered eating, diabetes distress, depression and anxiety). A process evaluation will evaluate the fidelity, feasibility, acceptability and appropriateness of STEADY, and participant experiences. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The protocol was approved by the East of England-Essex Research Ethics Committee (21/EE/0235). Study findings will be shared with study participants and disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

5. Facilitating Positive Health Behaviors and Well-being to Improve Health Outcomes: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) "Standards of Care in Diabetes" includes the ADA's current clinical practice recommendations and is intended to provide the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. Members of the ADA Professional Practice Committee, an interprofessional expert committee, are responsible for updating the Standards of Care annually, or more frequently as warranted. For a detailed description of ADA standards, statements, and reports, as well as the evidence-grading system for ADA's clinical practice recommendations and a full list of Professional Practice Committee members, please refer to Introduction and Methodology. Readers who wish to comment on the Standards of Care are invited to do so at professional.diabetes.org/SOC.

A scoping review exploring the role of the dietitian in the identification and management of eating disorders and disordered eating in adolescents and adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND

Eating disorder diagnoses and disordered eating behaviours are more prevalent in people living with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, in particular in adolescents. The role of the dietitian in this setting is not clearly outlined in the literature.

AIM

This scoping review aims to outline the available information for the role of the dietitian in identifying and managing eating disorders in adolescents and adults with co-occurring Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) in a clinical setting.

METHODS

The Johanna Briggs Institute was utilised to guide this scoping review and to develop a search strategy for relevant databases. Relevant organisations and societies websites and professional magazines were reviewed as part of the grey literature search.

RESULTS

38 peer reviewed journal articles, 5 professional articles, 5 book chapters and 11 clinical guidelines were included in this scoping review. Roles for the dietitian in identification, prevention and screening for eating disorders in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus were identified and outlined in a visual workflow. The role of the dietitian in the management of eating disorder in both the outpatient/community and inpatient setting and as core member of the multidisciplinary team was detailed in the literature.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review mapped the available information in the current literature on the role of the dietitian in the identification and management of eating disorders and disordered eating in adolescents and adults with a dual diagnosis of T1DM. The reviewed literature suggests there is a strong reliance on expert opinion and practice to inform the role of the dietitian. Further research is required in order to ensure more robust evidence-based practice in this area.

Health Professionals' Experiences Supporting People With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Who Deliberately Restrict and/or Omit Insulin for Weight, Shape, and/or Appearance: A Meta-synthesis

OBJECTIVES

It has been reported that health professionals currently lack the required empathy, understanding, and knowledge about the deliberate restriction and/or omission of insulin to influence weight and/or shape, which may impact the quality of care provided. We sought to synthesize existing qualitative research pertaining to health professionals' experiences supporting individuals within this unique population.

METHODS

We conducted a meta-synthesis using a meta-aggregative approach. We searched 5 electronic databases. Eligible articles were qualitative or mixed-methods empirical studies with primary data reporting health professionals' experiences supporting people with type 1 diabetes restricting and/or omitting insulin for weight and/or shape control, written in English, from database inception to March 2022.

RESULTS

A final sample of 4 primary studies were included. The analysis indicated that in the absence of standardized screening and diagnostic tools, health professionals found it challenging to decide when behaviour became clinically significant. Health professionals were also challenged by complex perceptions and behaviours relating to their illness management and features of broader health-care systems and organizational factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings have widespread multidisciplinary implications for health professionals and the broader health-care systems in which they work. We provide evidence-based clinical recommendations and suggestions for vital future research.

5. Facilitating Positive Health Behaviors and Well-being to Improve Health Outcomes: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2023

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) "Standards of Care in Diabetes" includes the ADA's current clinical practice recommendations and is intended to provide the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. Members of the ADA Professional Practice Committee, a multidisciplinary expert committee, are responsible for updating the Standards of Care annually, or more frequently as warranted. For a detailed description of ADA standards, statements, and reports, as well as the evidence-grading system for ADA's clinical practice recommendations and a full list of Professional Practice Committee members, please refer to Introduction and Methodology. Readers who wish to comment on the Standards of Care are invited to do so at professional.diabetes.org/SOC.

Developing a novel intervention for type 1 diabetes and disordered eating using a participatory action design process: Safe management of people with Type 1 diabetes and EAting Disorders studY (STEADY)

AIMS

To develop a cognitive behavioural therapy-based intervention for people with type 1 diabetes and disordered eating using Experience-Based Co-Design as part of the Safe management of people with Type 1 diabetes and EAting Disorders studY (STEADY).

METHODS

Fifteen people with type 1 diabetes and experience of disordered eating (33 ± 11 years old, 22 ± 12 years diabetes duration) and 25 healthcare professionals working in type 1 diabetes or eating disorders (44 ± 9 years old; 14 ± 10 years of professional experience) attended six Experience-Based Co-Design workshops from July 2019 to March 2020 to collaboratively develop intervention content.

RESULTS

We developed a cognitive behaviour therapy intervention 'toolkit' that can be tailored for individual patient needs. Participants designed and revised toolkit materials to ensure acceptability and relevance for people with diabetes and disordered eating by engaging in guided discussion, brainstorming, and rapid testing to review toolkit prototypes in an iterative process. Workshop themes were 'Insulin titration'; 'Hypoglycaemia'; 'Coming to terms with diabetes'; 'Fear of weight gain'; 'Toolkit revision'; and 'Practical elements of STEADY therapy'. The intervention is focussed on improving diabetes self-care and embedded in a multidisciplinary healthcare approach. The intervention will be delivered in 12 sessions by a diabetes specialist nurse trained in cognitive behavioural therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Through an iterative co-design process, people with type 1 diabetes and healthcare professionals collaboratively developed a novel intervention toolkit that can be used with a wide range of disordered eating presentations. The intervention will be tested in the STEADY feasibility randomised controlled trial.