Diabetes and Eating Disorders
Diabetes is a disease of the endocrine system. In short, a person’s pancreas is incapable of producing enough insulin to offset sugar in the system; in order to remain alive, a diabetic must regularly acquire insulin from an external source. Diabetes takes a toll on a person’s body, especially the eyes, nerves, and kidneys. However, with medical care, healthy diet and exercise, diabetics can expect to live long lives. Unfortunately, these days many diabetic girls are playing a dangerous game with their health – all in the name of being thin.
Adolescents tend to desire certain things. Most want to be attractive and popular. They look to magazines, television shows, and the internet to glean what is the latest in terms of hair, makeup and clothes. Although these areas will shift according to fashion, one issue that seemingly never changes is the necessity to be rail-thin. Because diabetics are no different from other teenagers, they too want to achieve the "look." And they have found a way to make it happen. By under dosing insulin, a diabetic forces sugar to leave her body through urine. The result: easy weight loss. In fact, this practice has become so widespread, that it is now being referred to as diabulimia.
As mentioned, diabetes is already hard on the body. Add anorexia to the mix and it goes from merely hard to horrific. Manipulating insulin as a form of weight control places their health, and lives, in extreme jeopardy. The mortality rate for these young women escalates to 35%. What’s more, the medical complications of diabetes such as vision loss and kidney failure escalate dramatically. This means if a diabetic begins insulin manipulation at the age of 17, she could be totally blind, suffering terrible nerve pain, or anticipating a kidney transplant by her mid 20s.
Remember...Both anorexia and diabetes are extremely taxing to a body. You can’t recover from diabetes, but you can absolutely recover from an eating disorder. Please don’t take chances with your vision or your life.
Discover more about this important topic and other eating disorder related issues by visiting our Articles Library.
Articles
Diabetes And Eating Disorders
Submitted by Rader Programs
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... Read More
"I Don’t Want To Change my Life!" Diabetes & You
by Fran Weiss, LCSW-R,BCD,DCSW,CGP
It’s always a shock to discover you have a serious, chronic disease. But when that disease requires daily disciplined management, significant lifestyle changes and is as far from glamorous as a disease can be—that adds insult to injury.
Many people do regard diabetes as both insult and injury—an insult to their control of their lives, an injury to their bodies and self-image, their celebrations and family dinners. If you have diabetes, you may have to lose weight, which is hard enough; you will definitely have to regulate everything you eat and drink. Many people are angry and sad about the loss of spontaneity—no more nights out drinking with friends without setting a strict limit, no restaurant meals without asking what’s in all the dishes and moderating portions. Maybe you can still have a bowl of ice cream while watching TV occasionally, but not in the old way, not that blissful momentary escape. Add to that the inconvenience and indignity of having to monitor one’s blood sugar frequently (especially embarrassing if you’re single and dating), perhaps having to inject oneself with insulin, and it’s not surprising many people have trouble accepting their diagnosis and sticking to the prescribed regimen. Read More
Diabetes and Eating Disorders: Double the Complications
Submitted by the Eating Disorder Institute
Over the past several decades, researchers have studied the fascinating - and dangerous - link between type 1 diabetes and eating disorders. Today, strong evidence suggests that eating disorders are more common in patients with type 1 diabetes than in those without this disease... Read More
Resources
American Diabetes Association on Eating Disorders
National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse on Diabetes
Diabetes Self-Management on Binge Eating Disorder & Diabetes