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Diabetes and Eating Disorders
Because both disorders involve the control of food, diabetes and eating disorders
can run hand-in- hand. Diabetes is a disorder that is a result of the pancreas not
producing enough insulin or the body not being able to effectively use the insulin
produced. The prevalence of eating disorders among insulin dependent diabetics is
estimated to be two to six times higher than in the general population. Up to 25%
of females with insulin dependent diabetes may have a diagnosable eating disorder.
Although having diabetes has not been shown to cause eating disorders, the condition
may increase the risk of developing them.
The connection between eating disorders and diabetes may be a result of both disorders
sharing some common traits and paths. To begin with, for many diabetics, the onset
of diabetes is accompanied by an initial weight loss, which is often how the disorder
is first recognized. This initial weight loss can be perceived as rewarding and
become something the diabetic does not want to give up. Following diagnosis, the
individual is started on insulin treatment, which often causes weight gain for the
diabetic. This resultant weight gain may exacerbate any concerns of body image and
cause anxiety for the newly diagnosed diabetic. Also complicating the situation
are the dietary constraints imposed on diabetics. Both eating disorders and diabetes
encourage individuals to pay accentuated attention to what they eat and weigh. Foods
for individuals with an eating disorder and diabetes are no longer viewed as just
for nutrition, but often gain the monikers of "forbidden" or "dangerous". The obsessive
pursuit of gaining control of food can become central for both diabetics and eating
disordered individuals. This struggle to maintain control can become the introduction
to developing an eating disorder for a diabetic. The issue of control is of special
importance for adolescent diabetics. Like all teenagers, adolescent diabetics strive
for independence but besides the regular teen issues, adolescent diabetics must
also grapple with someone or something else posing control over their food intake.
Through the practice of an eating disorder, eating disordered diabetics may feel
they have regained some of the lost control.
When a diabetic has an eating disorder, they often fall into the dangerous behaviors
of dieting, restricting and bingeing. The most dangerous practice being the misuse
of their insulin. To avoid weight gain, some diabetics with eating disorders under
use their insulin, causing their blood sugar to rise and spill into their urine.
The accompanied weight loss is the result of the body's tissues being literally
dissolved. Medical complications as a result of improper use of insulin or bingeing
for diabetics with eating disorders include kidney failure, heart disease, blood
circulation difficulties, and eyesight damage. Diabetics with eating disorders have
a threefold risk of retinopathy (permanent damage to the retina of the eye). Diagnosing
an eating disorder in a diabetic can be extremely difficult, even for professionals.
The dietary concerns of diabetes can easily mask the eating disordered behavior.
It is often hard to tell if the behaviors are symptoms of an eating disorder or
just careful dietary management of the diabetes. When confronted, eating disordered
diabetics often claim that they are just practicing good dietary control. One tale-tell
sign of trouble is poorly controlled blood sugars for unexplained reasons.
Warning
signs of the misuse of insulin for weight loss include:
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Low Energy
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High Blood Sugar
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Weight Loss Despite Increased Eating
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Frequent Urination
Rader Programs understands the nuances and difficulties of diabetes complicated
with an eating disorder and has put together a program that can address an eating
disordered diabetic's specific needs. In the past, the course of treatment for a
diabetic was one of a prescribed restrictive diet and a rigid approach to regulation
and management. Rader Programs understands this approach can be counterproductive
and even lead a diabetic towards bingeing, restricting and even misuse of insulin.
Instead we work with the eating disorder diabetic individual towards normalizing
their eating and tailoring their insulin to their food plan. It is not uncommon
for a diabetic individual to lower the amount of insulin or move from injections
to oral medication, once they are in recovery from their eating disorder.
For more information or to arrange for a free confidential consultation, call
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