Many girls with type I diabetes tend to develop disturbed eating behaviour associated with anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders. Disturbed eating behaviour is defined as dieting for weight control rather than diabetes control, binge eating, self induced vomiting, or the use of diuretics, laxatives, insulin omission, or intense exercise for weight control. Researchers from Canada studied 101 girls with type I diabetes between 9 and 13 years of age for five years, to investigate the disturbed eating behaviour. The data on self-esteem, attitudes regarding physical appearance and social acceptance, depression, quality of parental relationship, diabetes control and height and weight was collected by the investigators. To find out the characteristics, which were associated with the development of disturbed eating behaviour, the researchers compared the data of 38 girls who developed disturbed eating behaviour and 38 of their counterparts who did not. It was found that, of the 101 girls who did not have the disturbed eating behaviour, 45 of them developed disturbed eating behaviour during the follow up period. High body mass index, concerns with weight and shape, lower self-esteem and more reports of depressive symptoms during the previous 1 to 2 years were the characteristics most significantly associated with disturbed eating behaviour. However, the measure of weight and shape, low self-esteem, and symptoms of depression were still within the normal range in the girls who developed disturbed eating behaviour. The investigators suggested that the threshold for identifying girls with diabetes who are at risk for disturbed eating behaviour need to be set very low. Early interventions may help girls with diabetes develop positive feelings about themselves, their weight and shape and their physical appearance.
Diabetes Care
October 2008
Show full article