Endocrine Abstracts

Background and aims: Type 2 diabetes is strongly associated with obesity as the major potentially modifiable risk factor. Apart from total caloric intake, certain eating patterns have been associated with the risk of diabetes and insulinoresistance. Researchers have found that specific groups in the community may be at increased risk of eating disorders, including people with diabetes and those who are obese. The aim of the study was to detect the risk of disordered eating in patients with T2DM using EAT-26 questionnaire.

Materials and methods: We studied 107 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (20 men and 87 women) recruited from clinical and community settings. The mean age of the participants was 61.75+9.32 years; the mean BMI was 34.39+6.72 kg/m². The most widely used standardized measure of eating disorders symptoms the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) was used for the purposes of the present study. Questions are scored on a Likert scale from 0 (never, seldom, or sometimes) to 3 (always). A score greater than 20 represents a risk for developing a eating disorder, and participants are categorised as being at risk of disordered eating.

Results: The analysis showed that 49 patients with T2DM (45,7%) have score more than 20 on EAT-26; 58 patients (54, 37%) scored less than 20. Among the subgroup of men the value 20 and more was revealed in 7 questionnaires (35%), the score less 20 – in 13 ones (65%). In the subgroup of women 42 females (48,7%) were ‘positive’ on their cut-offs, 45 females (51,3%) account less 20. The significantly higher mean value (2,01) was received on the question ‘I avoid foods with sugar in them’: 52 persons (48,6%) answered ‘always’, 26 persons – ‘usually’, 9 persons (8.4%) – ‘often’, 20 persons (18.7%) – ‘never, seldom, or sometimes’. The higher rate on this question maybe associated with the specifity of diabetes and could influence the total score rate on the scale. Future research efforts are required to strengthen the present findings.

Conclusion: Our findings showed a high risk of disordered eating among patients with T2DM according to EAT-26 questionnaire. More research is needed to understand the role of eating disorders in T2DM.