Food Insecurity Linked to Rising Mental Health Issues in Young Diabetics

What Was Studied and Why It Matters

Managing diabetes is hard enough on its own. But what happens when a young person also doesn't know where their next meal is coming from? Researchers followed 844 young people and young adults (ages roughly 13–25) with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes over six years — from 2016 to 2022 — to find out how food insecurity affected their mental health over time.

This matters because food insecurity isn't just about hunger. When you can't reliably afford or access food, blood sugar management becomes nearly impossible. That struggle can spiral into depression, anxiety, and stress — which in turn makes diabetes even harder to control.

What the Researchers Found

The study tracked three groups: those who were consistently food secure, those who were persistently food insecure (meaning they struggled with food access at every point in the study), and those who were intermittently food insecure (food access came and went).

The numbers were striking:

• Among young people with Type 1 diabetes, about 7% were persistently food insecure and 20% were intermittently food insecure
• Among those with Type 2 diabetes, those numbers jumped to 17% and 42% respectively — meaning nearly 6 in 10 young Type 2 patients faced some level of food insecurity

For young people with Type 1 diabetes, both persistent and intermittent food insecurity were linked to higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress — and those symptoms increased over time. Young people with Type 2 diabetes who faced persistent food insecurity showed more depressive symptoms as well.

What This Means for Real Patients and Families

This research confirms what many families already feel: when you're worried about food, managing a chronic illness takes a back seat. The cycle is vicious — food insecurity raises stress, stress worsens blood sugar control, and poor control creates more anxiety and hopelessness.

If you or your child is struggling with food access alongside diabetes management, you are not alone, and the struggle is real. Here's what you can do:

• Talk to your care team — ask about food assistance programs, community resources, or social workers who specialize in diabetes care
• Prioritize mental health support — therapy or counseling can be a critical part of diabetes care, not a luxury
• Plan supplies carefully — keeping diabetes supplies stocked reduces one source of daily stress; MDS Diabetes offers affordable, home-delivered diabetes supplies that can help families simplify that part of the equation
• Connect with diabetes community programs — many organizations offer help specifically for young people navigating both food access and diabetes

What Researchers Say Should Come Next

The study authors call for interventions that tackle food insecurity and mental health together — not as separate problems. Education, comprehensive support systems, and mental health services should all be built into diabetes care for young people facing these challenges.

Bottom Line

Food insecurity doesn't just affect what's on the plate — it significantly worsens depression, anxiety, and stress in young people living with diabetes, and the longer it goes on, the worse those mental health symptoms become. Addressing food access and emotional well-being together is essential to helping young patients truly thrive with diabetes.