Diabulimia, a Type I diabetes mellitus-specific eating disorder

Type I diabetes mellitus is the most common endocrinologic disorder affecting pediatric patients. Diet regimen adaptations in patients with diabetes may result in focusing on only diet and weight control, which causes eating disorders more often in these patients. Diabulimia is an eating disorder specific to patients with diabetes characterized by limiting and/or skipping insulin dosing. It is well observed that diet management and insulin treatment are withheld for body appearence and social acceptance issues, especially in patients whose disease is diagnosed during adolescence. We hereby present a patient who was diagnosed as having diabetes at the age of 12 years and skipped insulin doses in order to control weight and was subsequently diagnosed as having diabulimia.