Diabetics trying to control their diet to get thinner can lead to an eating disorder

Fusing type 1 diabetes and an eating disorder is a dangerous combination. In order to lose weight, some individuals have realized that that a “diet” of skipping their insulin shots while suffering from bulimia can lead to weight loss. The grave dangers of these actions, of course, are not taken into consideration. “Diabulimia” is becoming more common as people become increasingly obsessed with being thin.

Who Does This?

Girls in teen diabetes camps are being found out to participate in this disorder, giving themselves just enough insulin to survive as they try to lose weight. For some, no amount of counselor intervention could stop them from harming themselves in this way. They realize that they could die if they skip insulin altogether, but it doesn’t stop them from the dangerous game they play.

It is estimated that 450,000 American women with type 1 diabetes have either skipped or reduced their insulin in order to lose weight. This is one third of the total number of women with diabetes. A few studies have shown that people with diabetes are twice as likely to develop an eating disorder, which can be deadly. There is a thin line between watching your blood sugar levels, carbohydrates and diet in general, to an unhealthy relationship with food.

"Diabulimia"

Although the term “Diabulimia” isn’t recognized as a medical condition, the American Diabetes Association has known about the behavior for years.

A psychologist from the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, had this to say: “People who do this behavior wind up with severe diabetic complications much earlier” (Ann Goebel-Fabbri, Mercury News, 2007).

“Diabulimics” have the same fear of insulin as the anorexic has of food. They know they must inject/eat in order to survive, but the terror or gaining weight overpowers all rational judgement.

The Risks

To skip or decrease insulin without a Doctor’s approval can result in falling into a coma or death. The consequences are serious and the need to lose weight can heighten the eating disorder behavior.

In the long term, there are a myriad of complications that can arise: blindness, the need for an amputation, and kidney failure are the most critical.

Warning Signs

How can you tell if someone is “Diabulimic”?

- they have type 1 diabetes

- a change in eating habits, a new diet or an obsession with food

- trips to the bathroom after meals to purge

- low energy and high blood-sugar levels

- frequent urination, as the kidneys work overtime to filter excess glucose

- a refusal to take insulin at the appropriate times

- chest pain, heart palpitations

- muscle cramps, lower back pain

- frequent bacterial infections