Pathological Eating Disorders in Diabetics is Associated with Increased Risk of Diabetic Retinopathy

Article: Eating disorders linked to diabetic eye issues
Source: Anglia Ruskin University (U.K.)
Published: February 23, 2022

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by elevated glucose in the blood, which over time can lead to macrovascular and microvascular damage to organs with dense blood vessel networks, such as the kidneys, the extremities, and the retina, among other vital organs like the heart and brain. Among microvascular complications due to diabetes, diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most frequent complication and the most common cause of blindness in the working-age population in industrialized nations. The risk of diabetic retinopathy affects all demographics of people with diabetes. Researchers in the U.K. conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to answer the question of how pathological eating disorders, which affect insulin intake, influence the risk of diabetic retinopathy in diabetic individuals. They examined seven studies published about the subject up until early 2021; together, the studies included 1,162 participants. Two eating disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa contained enough data for sub-group analysis. They did not find any significant associations between DR and binge eating disorder. Of the pooled data for pathological eating disorders, the authors report that the odds ratio of diabetic retinopathy was 2.94, that is, diabetics with eating disorders were almost three times more likely to be at risk for retinopathy than diabetics in the general population. Eating orders not otherwise specified similarly yielded an odds ratio of 2.73. Lead author of the study explains, "The most likely reason for this is poor control of blood sugar levels due to inconsistent food intake or people deliberately not taking insulin as a weight management tactic." They conclude that the study brings awareness to practitioners who are monitoring people with diabetes to preclude this risk.

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Trott M, Driscoll R, Iraldo E, et al. "Pathological eating behaviours and risk of retinopathy in diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis." Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders.  21 January 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-022-00980-x