Diabulimia: how eating disorders can affect adolescents with diabetes
Intended for healthcare professionals
Art & Science Previous     Next

Diabulimia: how eating disorders can affect adolescents with diabetes

Jennifer Davidson Staff nurse, children’s services, Nottingham Children’s Hospital, Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham

Adherence to self-management and medication regimens is required to achieve optimal blood glucose control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Non-adherence places adolescents at serious risk of short and long-term health complications. Adherence difficulties may be exacerbated by concurrent eating disorders. Diabulimia is a term used to describe the deliberate administration of insufficient insulin to maintain glycaemic control for the purpose of causing weight loss. This article explores the concept of diabulimia and the compounding complications of an eating disorder on maintaining self-management regimens in adolescents with diabetes.

Nursing Standard. 29, 2, 44-49. doi: 10.7748/ns.29.2.44.e7877

Correspondence

Jennifer.Davidson@nuh.nhs.uk

Peer review

This article has been subject to double blind peer review

Received: 14 May 2013

Accepted: 22 April 2014

Your organisation does not have access to this article
Recommend to your librarian
RCNi-Plus
Already have access? Log in

OR

3-month trial offer for �5.25/month

Subscribe today and save 50% on your first three months
RCNi Plus users have full access to the following benefits:
  • Unlimited access to all 10 RCNi Journals
  • RCNi Learning featuring over 175 modules to easily earn CPD time
  • NMC-compliant RCNi Revalidation Portfolio to stay on track with your progress
  • Personalised newsletters tailored to your interests
  • A customisable dashboard with over 200 topics
Subscribe

Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now


Are you a student? Our student subscription has content especially for you.
Find out more