Eating Disorders and Diabetes

Type 2, the common variety of Diabetes has been attributed to obesity, consumption of excess junk food and lack of exercise. Excess calorie consumption, therefore, would lead to Type 2 Diabetes. Hence, it is important to know if eating disorders could increase the risk of Diabetes.

Eating disorders develop as a result of a psychological problem in which a person's eating patterns are deeply affected. People with eating disorders develop an unnatural feeling towards food and their body. The common types of eating disorders are anorexia (less eating), bulimia (overeating) and binge eating. If not treated in time, these can be fatal and can cause serious illnesses. As Type 2 Diabetes is related to energy intake and as eating disorders also changes energy consumption, a recent study has explored this association.

A recent cohort published in the journal Current Diabetes Reports has found that people with severe eating disorders are at a high risk of developing Diabetes. The analysis indicated that people with eating disorders such as bulimia have 95 per cent increased risk of developing Diabetes. The analysis has also considered anorexia (reduced eating) as a risk factor for developing Diabetes. Although people with Diabetes are recommended portion control to manage their diet intake, anorexia or reduced eating too can affect blood sugar levels. The reason for this remains unexplained. Studies are currently being undertaken to understand the association between binge eating and the occurrence of Diabetes.

Source: Current Diabetes Reports