Type I diabetes is the kind that develops in childhood. Young people with the disease must inject themselves with insulin every day, and they must monitor their blood sugar levels, because their bodies produce little or no insulin.
Some children with Type I diabetes skip their insulin injections as a means of weight control, once they figure out that insulin encourages their bodies to store fat. This behavior is sometimes referred to as "diabulimia."
Diabulimia is most common among diabetic girls and young women. It is dangerous because insufficient insulin causes higher blood sugar levels than are healthy. This in turn leads to a breakdown of muscle tissue, and damage to the kidneys and eyes.
Physicians do not recognize diabulimia as a formal medical condition in the same way they identify eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia. However, the behavior is becoming more prevalent, and parents of diabetic children should be aware of the problem .
Labels: diabetes, diabulimia
Posted By: CRC Health