Early Diagnosis and Management of Bulimia Nervosa in Type 1 Diabetes

Treatment outcomes for bulimia nervosa in type 1 diabetes are worse than those for conventional bulimia nervosa. These outcomes may be a consequence of late detection and subsequent management. The combination of these disorders has been referred to as diabulimia; however, this is not an official diagnosis and is a colloquial term used by patients and the media to describe the associated maladaptive pattern of compensatory behaviors. Early intervention is required to prevent short- and longer-term complications, with intensive treatment approaches having the best current evidence. Collaboration is required between specialist services for patients to receive optimal care. This narrative review summarizes the latest published evidence in the formulation, detection, and subsequent management of bulimia nervosa in type 1 diabetes, while highlighting the need for higher-quality research in the assessment and treatment of these comorbidities.