The Association of Eating Attitudes between Metabolic Control and Quality of Life in Patients with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Aims: The combination of an eating disorder and diabetes mellitus (DM) puts patients at high risk of mortality and morbidity. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of eating attitudes between metabolic control and quality of life in patients with type 1 DM (T1DM) and type 2 DM (T2DM) and with regard to different type of medical treatments.

Study Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of the Study: Ege University Hospital Endocrine Polyclinic, December, 2013 – April, 2014.İzmir, Turkey.

Methodology: One hundred and fifty adults with T1DM (n=52) and T2DM (n=98) were evaluated using general information questionnaire, Eating Attitude Test (EAT-40 Turkish version), SF-36 quality of life questionnaire. Biochemical data were collected from the hospital records retrospectively. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 15.0 programme.

Results: The prevalence of disorders of eating attitudes in patients was found to be 39.3%. Metabolic control and quality of life were not related with eating attitudes in patients with DM. No significant correlation was found between the types of DM in terms of eating attitudes and medical treatments.

Conclusion: DM is considered to be a risk factor for the development of eating disorders. In this area further studies are needed to develop diabetes specific eating behavior rating scales.