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Diabetes and Alström Syndrome
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The pressure to be lean and slim can feel quite overbearing in our society. Eating disorders are common among girls and women in the general population. Research indicates that eating disorders are more common among women with diabetes in comparison with women who do not have this condition. That said, those with type 1 diabetes are twice as likely to have eating disorders. That said, data is lacking when it comes to eating disorders in boys and men with type 1 diabetes. However, disordered eating does occur for sure among boys and men in the general population; hence, no one can afford to ignore the warning signs.
Bulimia is the most common eating disorder when it comes to women with type 1 diabetes. Among women with type 2 diabetes, binge eating is far more common.
Because both eating disorders and diabetes involve active attention to body states, control of food, and weight management, some individuals develop a pattern in which they intentionally use the disease to camouflage or justify the disorder. Because the complications that arise from diabetes and eating disorders can be extremely harmful (or even fatal), healthy, responsible behaviour is essential.
The Different Types Of Eating Disorders
- Anorexia (also known as anorexia nervosa) is an eating disorder that is centred around an obsessive fear of gaining weight. It involves excessive weight loss and self-starvation. Though anorexia is a psychological disorder, the physical consequences are extremely serious and even life-threatening.
- Bulimia (also known as bulimia nervosa) is characterised by recurrent binge eating (which is a rapid uncontrolled consumption of vast amounts of food). Individuals may purge through self-induced vomiting, diuretics, laxatives, insulin reduction or omission, fasting, stringent diets, or excessive exercise.
- Binge Eating Disorder (which is also known as compulsive overeating) is characterised chiefly by periods of impulsive, uncontrolled, or continual eating beyond the point of feeling entirely full. While binge eaters may not purge, they may resort to repetitive diets or sporadic fasts, with feelings of self-hatred or shame after a binge.
- Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (or EDNOS) is a wide gamut of other disordered eating habits that do not fit the specific types. These conditions quite serious, and prompt attention and intervention are necessary. EDNOS or several other types of eating disorders might include:
- Disordered eating or eating problems with some (but not all) characteristics of an eating disorder. For instance, those who severely restrict intake of food but do not meet all criteria of anorexia nervosa.
- Chewing food and then spitting it completely out, without swallowing
- Irregular bingeing and purging patterns, such as at times of high stress
Warning Signs
- Unexplained and high HbA1C levels
- Recurrent episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis
- Extreme concerns with regard to body size and shape
- Excessive exercise and related hypoglycaemia
- Extremely low-calorie diet plans
- Absence of menstruation
Diabulimia
Treatment for type 1 diabetes involves intake of insulin. Diabulimia is an eating disorder that is characterised by withholding the intake of insulin intentionally to lead to weight loss.
This insulin restriction leads to high blood sugar levels that spill over into the urine, eventually leading to the excretion of the calories from glucose.
The repercussions of this disorder can be extremely severe: dehydration, diabetic ketoacidosis, and loss of lean body tissue.
Diabulimia is surprisingly common: as many as one-third of women with type 1 diabetes have reported insulin restriction, with higher levels seen among those between the ages of 15 and 30.
Treatment
After insulin restriction or some other disordered eating behaviour becomes engrained, a vicious cycle of guilt, shame, and negative emotions can make it quite difficult to obtain help, making the condition extremely difficult to treat.
The gold standard lies in adopting a team-based approach, which should include the contribution of a mental health professional along with other healthcare team members such as an endocrinologist, nutritionist, nurse educator, and others, if the need arises.
To Sum It All Up:
Some individuals with diabetes may develop an unhealthy fixation or relationship with food. This can lead to something called disordered eating behaviour or an eating disorder, and the vice versa is also true. Thus, when it comes to the question, “can eating disorders cause diabetes?” the answer is, unfortunately, a yes because some individuals can go on binge-eating sprees and with lack of exercise and physical activity can develop type 2 diabetes. Some of the most common eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating disorder, and diabulimia. Each disorder comes with its own set of complications, which can be life-threatening.
