Diabulimia - The Rise Of A New Eating Disorder?

Diabulimia is a condition that few know about. It is currently under recognized but needs attention as it is becoming more common. With little public awareness, more deaths can occur due to complications that arise. This condition arose as more young patients are found to be afflicted with Type 1 diabetes. If you look at the term “diabulimia” closely, you will find that it is made up of the terms "diabetes" and "bulimia". Although diabulimia is not considered an eating disorder per se, it can be likened to a body image disorder.

Type 1 diabetics produce little or no insulin. As there is no cure, they have no choice but to take daily insulin shots in order to survive. Type 1 diabetes can inflict children from a young age and young adults and statistics show that this is a rising number. However, some young patients got to learn that their body is dependent on insulin, and that insulin is an anabolic or storage hormone. With insulin encouraging fat storage, they get to know that weight gain is a possible consequence with taking insulin shots. Therefore, to avoid putting on weight, these patients start to skip doses and manipulate taking their insulin shots.

In a bulimics, the sufferers often try to manage their weight through vomiting or other forms of behavior so that their bodies do not put on the calories from being eating. Bulimics suffer from a body image disorder and generally have low self esteem and confidence.

For diabulimics, patients wise up to the technique on using insulin shots pretty quickly. They take just enough insulin to avoid going into diabetic ketoacidosis, and narrowly avoiding hospitalization. However, this is potentially very dangerous. If a Type 1 diabetic does not take the required insulin dosages, he or she risks dehydration, fatigue and a breakdown in muscle tissue. Other complications include eye and kidney failure and a high risk of coma, amputation and even death.

Unfortunately, a diabulimia is not recognized as a medical condition, unlike anorexia or bulimia. In fact, not enough is know about it. On the other hand, the American Diabetes Association has long known about insulin omission as a tactic for weight control. An expert recently provided an estimate. He suggested “that 450,000 Type 1 diabetic women in the United States — one-third of the total — have skipped or shortchanged their insulin to lose weight and are risking a coma and an early death.”

Without a doubt, diabulimia is becoming more common and much less a secret. Tips about controlling weight through managing insulin shots are being exchanged in online bulletin boards for diabetics as well as those with eating disorders. Ironically, almost all diabetics need to learn about the basics of good diabetic management, including meal planning. However, these programs have largely overlooked the needs of those patients having unhealthy associations with food. Much like any other eating disorder, diabulimia should also be studied. More light can then be shed on the group of patients who are afflicted with diabetes and who obsesses over weight in neglect of their health.