Background: A healthy lifestyle plays a key role in managing diabetes and limiting long-run complications. Using a nationally representative panel data set of youth and young adults, this study examined racial and ethnic differences in risky behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption, marijuana use, sexual activity, fast food consumption) and sedentation (hours of television, exercise frequency) among respondents aged 18 to 43 with diabetes.
Methods: Among the 12,300 respondents in Waves III (2001-02), IV (2008-09), and V (2016-18) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (ADD Health), 780 (6.34%) had been diagnosed with diabetes. Stratified, mixed effects regression models assessed racial and ethnic differences in risky behavior and sedentation accounting for heterogeneity in age, sex, income, region of residence, education, and health insurance. Odds ratios and marginal effects quantified the comparative differentials between groups.
Results: The sample of young adults with diabetes was 39.51% male and 60.49% female and composed of 61.28% White, 22.24% Black, 3.36% other racial groups, and 12.85% Hispanic. Respondents ranged in age from 18-27 (Wave III), 25-34 (Wave IV), and 33-43 (Wave IV). Relative to Whites, Blacks reported smoking cigarettes 4.32 (SE=1.01) less days per month and were less likely to use marijuana (OR=0.41, CI=0.35, 0.48), but were significantly more likely to use alcohol (OR=1.53, CI=1.21, 1.86) and consume fast food (OR=1.76, CI=1.45, 2.05). Other racial groups, compared to Whites, were more likely to exercise (1.25, CI=1.01, 1.50), while Hispanics watched an average of 5.37 (SE=5.46) more hours of television each week.
Conclusions: Results suggest racial and ethnic differences in risky behavior patterns among young adults with diabetes which may explain differences in later-life complications and mortality.
M.M. Jacobs: None. A. Burch: None.
