Disordered eating in girls with Type 1 diabetes: Examining directions for prevention

Girls with Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus [IDDM]) have been identified to be at an increased risk for developing bulimia nervosa (BN) and subthreshold eating disorders. The co-occurrence of these conditions can severely compromise the physical health of these individuals and can even accelerate mortality. The use of a unique and dangerous purging behaviour called insulin manipulation is of particular concern among young women with IDDM because this has been shown to be associated with metabolic dysfunction and devastating complications such as retinopathy. Therefore, development of prevention programs designed to protect girls with IDDM against developing disordered eating is a critical priority. To date, however, no such prevention programs have been evaluated in the literature. Therefore a general overview of research in the areas of IDDM and disordered eating is provided, as well as a review of the design and content of effective eating disorder intervention programs, with suggestions about how such programs should be adapted, in order that they can be used and evaluated with an IDDM population.