The relationship of disordered eating habits and attitudes to clinical outcomes in young adult females with Type 1 diabetes

OBJECTIVE — To describe the clinical outcomes of adolescent and young adult female subjects with type 1 diabetes in relation to the disturbance of eating habits and attitudes over 8–12 years. RESEARCH DESIGNANDMETHODS — Patients were recruited from the registers of pediatric and young adult diabetes clinics (including nonattenders) and interviewed in the community. A total of 87 patients were assessed at baseline (aged 11–25 years), and 63 (72%) were reinterviewed after 8–12 years (aged 20–38 years). Eating habits and attitudes were assessed by a semistructured research diagnostic interview (Eating Disorder Examination). RESULTS — Clinical eating disorders ascertained from the interview and/or case note review at baseline or follow-up were found in 13 subjects (14.9 % [95 % CI 8.2–24.2]), and an additional 7 subjects had evidence of bingeing or purging, bringing the total affected to 26%. Insulin misuse for weight control was reported by 31 (35.6 % [25.7–46.6]) subjects. Overall outcome was poor; serious microvascular complications were common and mortality was high. There were signif-icant relationships between disordered eating habits, insulin misuse, and microvascular com-plications