Eating Disorders and Diabetes
Background: The prevalence of eating disorders among young females with type 1 diabetes is 2-3 times higher compared to their peers without diabetes. This comorbidity is associated with poor glycemic control and increased rates of morbidity and mortality. Yet, there is a lack of knowledge about how to prevent eating disorders in individuals with type 1 diabetes.
Aims: This project aims to investigate the effect of the body acceptance- and eating disorder prevention program Diabetes Body Project compared to a psychoeducational control condition over 2-years of follow-up in a multi-site RCT.
Methods: 280 young females with type 1 diabetes aged 14-35 years will be recruited across four sites in three countries (Norway, the Netherlands, and USA).
Outcomes: Main outcomes include eating disorder risk factors (body dissatisfaction, thin-ideal internalization, negative affect, and dietary restraint), eating disorder symptoms, eating disorder onset, HbA1c and time-in-range (TIR), diabetes distress, and diabetes-specific quality of life.
News from 2022:
In collaboration with Stanford University, Joslin Diabetes Center, and Amsterdam University Medical Centers we received a research grant from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to investigate the effect of the Diabetes Body Project to reduce eating disorder risk factors and symptoms, eating disorder onset, glycemic control, and diabetes psychological aspects among young females with type 1 diabetes (2022-2026).
Read more: www.bodyproject.no/diabetes
Publications 2022:
Reas, D.L., Wisting, L., & Dahlgren, C.L. (2022). Co-occurrence of nonsuicidal self-injury and eating disorder pathology in adolescents. International Journal of Eating Disorders.