Eating disorders linked to diabetic eye problems

Diabetes is characterized by high levels of glucose in the blood, which in turn can lead to tissue damage in several parts of the body, including the heart, feet and eyes

Academics combined data from several studies at Anglo-Raskin University (ARU), involving more than 1,100 participants, and found that people with diabetes were rated as having an eating disorder 2.

However, the researchers did not find a statistically significant link between binge eating disorder and diabetic retinopathy

Eating disorders considered in the study included anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

Lead author Mike Trott, a research associate at ARU's Vision and Eye Institute (VERI), said: "We know that several factors can slow or accelerate the development of retinopathy in people with diabetes

"Our review found a significant positive association between pathological eating disorders and the risk of diabetic retinopathy

"Practitioners working with people with diabetes should closely monitor eating behaviors so that any abnormal eating behaviors can be quickly addressed to reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy and, if untreated, the resulting blindness

Journal Reference :

1. Mike Trott, R.