Much prior research has suggested that
intentional insulin omission is common
among female adolescents with type 1 diabetes, serving as a weight control strategy
and sometimes linked to eating disorders
(10). We found that students (who were
younger than nonstudents) were more
likely to skip injections they knew they
should take, but this behavior was not more
common among women than it was among
men. We found no overall association between age and intentional insulin injection
omission among patients with type 1 diabetes, suggesting that patients with type 1 diabetes “age-out” of this behavior by early
adulthood, when they complete their education. Ascertaining the validity of this interpretation would require following youth
with type 1 diabetes as they age into adulthood to determine change in rate of insulin
omission.