Diabulimia proves to be dangerous, yet unknown eating disordered behavior

An estimated 450,000 women in the United States who are between the ages of 15 to 30 have Type 1 diabetes. Of those, one-third have intentionally skipped or manipulated their insulin to lose weight according to Diabetes Health (October 1994). Diabulimia, the misuse of insulin for weight control, is one of the fastest growing trends in eating disordered behaviors among young women with diabetes and is one of the most deadly. 

Patients with diabulimia omit insulin doses to place the body in a state of starvation, breaking down muscle and fat within the body. Without insulin, the body is unable to process consumed carbohydrates, causing the sugars to exit the body through the urine. This process often results in dehydration and significant weight loss, leaving the patient at risk of a life-threatening condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis.

Diabulimia patients share similar psychological symptoms with those who binge and purge with anorexia and bulimia. According to Diabetes Care (March 2008), people with diabetes who restrict insulin die at earlier ages on average than those who use their insulin properly. Diabulimia can lead to dehydration, hyperglycemia, coma, depression and permanent damage to the heart, kidneys, peripheral nerves and eyesight.

“While diabulimia is not a scientific diagnosis, it is a form or variant of eating disorder behavior that has become recognized in the field recently,” said Tamara Pryor, clinical director of the Eating Disorder Center of Denver.

Studies show that women with Type 1 diabetes are twice as likely to develop an eating disorder, possibly due to their strict regiment of counting carbohydrates to maintain glucose control. In order to lose the weight they desire, afflicted individuals stop controlling their diabetes, increasing the opportunity for the condition to worsen.

“Eating disorders are not limited to binging and purging, but have shifted with the advancement of technology and medications to multiple facets of life,” says Dr. Eve A. Wood, medical director at the Eating Disorder Center of Denver. “Diabulimia is a prime example of this shift and the dangers associated with eating disorders. It is essential for friends, family and the public to raise awareness and help end these illnesses.”

Treatment of diabulimia is a compound process due to the medical and psychological aspects of the behavior. Medical monitoring, restoration to a healthy weight, and education regarding nutrition and self-care are vital in a successful recovery. Multi-disciplinary team approaches often produce the most successful strategies for overcoming diabulimia. Recognizing symptoms and treating the underlying issues of diabulimia can lead to future prevention and a longer, healthier life.

About Eating Disorder Center of Denver
Established in 2001, Eating Disorder Center of Denver (EDC-D) is one of the nation's foremost centers for the diagnosis and treatment of the full range of eating disorders. EDC-D is committed to empowering individuals 18 years of age and older suffering with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and related disorders to help them achieve and sustain recovery. A multidisciplinary team of board-certified psychiatrists, physicians, clinicians, family therapists and registered dietitians work together to create a specialized, evidence-based treatment plan for each patient. For additional information about EDC-D, visit www.edcdenver.com, call 303-771-0861, visit us on Twitter at EDCDenver or friend us on Facebook.