When Eating Disorders and Diabetes Collide
National Eating Disorders Awareness week highlights the movement toward inclusivity of all individuals and communities who are affected by eating disorders. Eating Disorders Awareness week is an opportunity to start the conversation around eating disorders, to learn, connect with others, share stories, and get support. So what is an eating disorder anyway? First, eating disorders are NOT a lifestyle choice. They are complex mental illnesses with serious medical complications and can be life threatening. It is estimated that 20 million women and 10 million men in America will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Eating disorders do not discriminate, as they affect people of all ages, race, ethnicity, body sizes and genders. We don’t know for sure what causes an eating disorder, but there seems to be biological, psychological, and social risk factors that combine to form the perfect storm for an eating disorder to develop. These include, but are not limited to the following: Diabetes and Eating Disorders Diabetes is a chronic illness with treatment that involves reading food labels, counting carbohydrates, focusing on portion sizes, and maintaining a healthy body weight. Along with a diabetes diagnosis comes an increased risk of mental health issues like anxiety and depression, which may contribute to feeling [...]