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06-11-2017 | Disordered eating | ADA 2017 | News

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Disordered eating common among youths with diabetes

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medwireNews: Findings from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study reveal high rates of disordered eating behaviors among children and young adults with diabetes.

The research, presented at the American Diabetes Association scientific sessions in San Diego, California, shows overall rates of 21.2% in 2156 children with type 1 diabetes and 52.5% in 161 with type 2 diabetes. The prevalence was highest among 15–19 year olds, at around 25% and almost 70% in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, respectively, and it increased with higher body mass index z scores.

Eating disorders were identified using the Diabetes Eating Problem Survey–Revised. Specific problems included wanting to be slim even at the expense of good glycemic control, being concerned that their eating was out of control, binge eating (up to 50% in type 2 diabetes patients), and skipping insulin to lose weight (around 20% of type 1 diabetes patients).

Furthermore, presenter Angel Siu-ying Nip (University of Washington, Seattle, USA) revealed that patients with eating disorders had poor disease and health outcomes, with poorer glycemic control, higher depression scores, and poorer quality of life than patients who screened negative for such disorders.

She concluded that disordered eating behavior in young diabetes patients is “a common problem, yet under-recognized,” and recommended that health providers screen for it, starting in early adolescence.

By Eleanor McDermid

medwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare. © 2017 Springer Healthcare part of the Springer Nature group

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