Diabulimia - Diabetes Meets Disordered Eating
What Is Diabetic Ketoacidosis And The Function Of Insulin?

Diabulimia involves insulin and weight loss, where insulin injections are manipulated in an unhealthy way. The results are diabetic ketoacidosis or death. These issues help us get a clearer picture about the relationship between diabetic eating behaviors and eating disorders. What is the function of insulin in diabulimia?

It's worth noting that this is not an actual eating disorder with a standard set of criteria laid out in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), nor is it currently recognized as a formal psychiatric or medical condition.

That said, it is usually referred to as a "disturbed eating pattern" or disordered eating behavior because its symptoms involve dangerous methods to force the body into losing weight.

Diabulimia And Type 1 Diabetes - Statistics

Diabulimia occurs in people who have type 1 diabetes, where the body does not produce enough insulin on its own because of a dysfunction of the immune system.

This type of diabetes tends to manifest itself at a young age, making the teenage years extra difficult. Pressure to be thin is among the many issues that teens will face.

As a result, statistics show that up to 50% of young women with type 1 diabetes, who are between the ages of 16 and 24, are at particularly high risk for developing this condition.

Furthermore, these people have likely already been diagnosed with an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or compulsive overeating.

This just adds to the list of diabetic complications.

The Function Of Insulin And Weight Loss In Diabulimia

The normal function of insulin is to help prevent muscle deterioration and allow our bodies to store any fat that we consume in our diet. The result is weight maintenance, or even weight gain -- which has become somewhat of a stigma in today's society.

In order to prevent fat from being stored (and to promote weight loss), diabetics will deliberately skip their insulin injections. This is the behavior described as 'diabulimia'.

Its very name references the two illnesses (disorders) that are involved -- Diabetes = "dia" and Bulimia = "bulimia".

Why bulimia? Well, there are many different forms of purging as a way to lose weight, or at the very least, prevent further weight gain. Most people associate purging with the act of vomiting, but in this case, the purging behavior is insulin restriction.

Dangers Of Diabulimia - Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)

When diabetics don't take their insulin, it sends the body into a state of starvation where muscle and fat tissue begins to break down. During this process, the individual may display ketosis symptoms.

As sugar levels in the bloodstream continue to rise, they are passed out of the body through the kidneys, which causes frequent urination. The body cannot store these sugars as fat, or keep them reserved for energy. This results in rapid and dangerous weight loss.

The shortage of insulin and the process of the body burning its essential fatty acids can cause a potentially fatal condition known as Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA).

Diabetic Ketoacidosis is a medical emergency. Signs and symptoms are often high blood sugar, gasping for breath, vomiting, confusion, dehydration symptoms, and sometimes coma.

With all of those complications, it's obvious that diabulimia is a dangerous behavior. Lasting, long term effects can include:

• Heart arrhythmia, or other problems
• Osteopenia, osteoporosis
• Kidney damage
• Nerve damage
• Death

When medical conditions like diabetes involve a disordered eating component with body image issues or a desire to lose weight at any cost, the consequences can be fatal. Professional intervention is required.

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