If you’re asking if eating disorders can cause diabetes, you’re not alone.
There are two main potential links: diabulimia, which is the deliberate under-dosing or omission of insulin by people with type 1 diabetes, which directly worsens glucose control and can cause life-threatening complications, and how recurrent binge eating or bulimic behaviors can increase risk for type 2 diabetes over time by promoting weight gain and insulin resistance.
Both situations require coordinated medical and eating disorder care to reduce short- and long-term harm.
How Eating Disorder Behaviors Interact with Diabetes Biology
Diabulimia and Insulin Omission
Diabulimia describes the deliberate underdosing or skipping of insulin by people with type 1 diabetes to lose weight or avoid weight gain. The immediate result is high blood glucose and, when severe, diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a potentially life-threatening emergency marked by dehydration, rapid breathing, abdominal pain, and confusion.
Repeated insulin omission accelerates long-term complications of diabetes, including retinopathy (eye damage), neuropathy (nerve damage), and kidney disease.
Treating diabulimia requires a coordinated approach that addresses both medical stabilization (insulin restoration, fluids, and management of acute complications) and psychiatric care for the underlying eating disorder behavior; endocrine follow-up and diabetes education are essential to prevent relapse.
Binge Eating, Bulimia, and Type 2 Diabetes Risk
Binge eating and bulimia can raise the chance of developing type 2 diabetes over time, especially because of how these patterns affect weight and the body’s metabolism.
Eating large amounts frequently, then restricting or using compensatory behaviors, often leads to weight gain and makes the body less responsive to insulin (that’s called insulin resistance). Insulin resistance is the main route that can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes.
Studies show people with binge eating disorder and some people with bulimia have higher rates of blood-sugar problems and diabetes than people without those eating patterns. That said, it’s not automatic: your personal risk also depends on genes, how and where your body stores fat, how active you are, and other health factors.
Bottom line: Binge-related eating increases your risk, but it doesn’t guarantee you’ll get diabetes. If you’re worried, a clinician can check your blood sugar and help you with practical steps to lower risk, like changes to eating habits, activity, and medical follow-up when needed.
Other Pathways
Severe food restriction and malnutrition change how your body uses energy, and that can throw off blood sugar control for a while. For example, fasting glucose may run low, and when someone starts eating more again, their blood sugar can be unpredictable.
These ups and downs are usually temporary and do not cause type 1 diabetes (that’s an autoimmune disease). Still, eating disorder behaviors can make blood sugar control harder and add to long-term metabolic risk. Whether someone develops diabetes depends on the type of eating problem, their biology, and how long the metabolic strain continues.
If blood sugar changes are a concern, a clinician can run simple tests and help plan safe nutrition and medical follow-up.
Signs, Symptoms, and When to Seek Urgent Care
Pay attention to sudden changes as they often point to a medical problem that needs quick action.
Call emergency services right away for signs of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA): extreme thirst, peeing much more than usual, persistent nausea or vomiting, belly pain, fast or deep breathing, or confusion.
If you notice ongoing patterns like big swings in blood sugar, unexplained weight changes, frequent infections, or crushing fatigue, bring them up with a clinician. These can signal poorly controlled glucose over time.
If someone with diabetes is purposely skipping or cutting back on insulin, that’s an urgent safety issue: they need both medical and mental health support immediately.
Assessment and Integrated Treatment Approach
When diabetes and disordered eating overlap, treatment needs to be coordinated, practical, and kind. Teams that get good results bring together medical, psychiatric, and nutrition specialists so every part of the problem is treated at once.
Medical & Endocrine Assessment
We begin by checking the basics: blood glucose and A1c to gauge longer-term control, spot checks for ketones if DKA is suspected, and basic electrolytes to make sure there are no dangerous imbalances. If someone is acutely unwell, clinicians will stabilize fluids, correct electrolytes, and treat DKA as needed. Endocrinologists or diabetes specialists are looped in early, so insulin plans are safe and realistic while psychiatric care starts.
Psychiatric & Behavioral Treatment
Treating the eating disorder side usually involves evidence-based therapies that help change behaviors and reduce distress. For example, CBT adapted for eating disorders, DBT skills for managing strong emotions, and family-focused work when family dynamics matter. Therapy also tackles diabetes-specific struggles like diabetes distress, fear of weight gain, or avoidance of insulin. Psychiatrists and therapists work with medical teams to balance mental health care with physical safety.
Nutrition and Diabetes Education
Registered dietitians who understand both diabetes and disordered eating are central. They help develop meal plans that support steady blood sugar without triggering restrictive or binge cycles, teach practical insulin-meal coordination, and supervise refeeding when needed. Certified diabetes educators (CDEs) often partner with RDs to make sure insulin dosing, carb counting, and diabetes technology are used in ways that support recovery but not fuel fear. Ongoing education, gentle skill practice, and clear safety plans make returning home safer and more sustainable.
What To Do Next
Can eating disorders cause diabetes? The short answer is nuanced: certain behaviors can worsen or reveal glucose problems. Diabulimia is a dangerous behavior in people with type 1 diabetes, and recurrent binge-eating or bulimic patterns can raise risk for type 2 diabetes over time through weight-related metabolic changes. If this sounds like your situation, get both a medical and an eating disorder evaluation right away. Call Admissions to discuss risks or schedule an intake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an eating disorder make someone develop diabetes?
Most eating disorders don’t directly cause type 1 diabetes (an autoimmune disease), but some behaviors can increase the chance of developing type 2 diabetes over time. Recurrent binge eating often leads to weight gain and insulin resistance, the main pathway to type 2 diabetes. Separately, people with type 1 diabetes who withhold insulin (diabulimia) do not “cause” diabetes, but they worsen blood sugar control and accelerate complications. If you’re worried about risk, talk to your clinician about screening and prevention.
Does binge eating increase my chance of type 2 diabetes?
Yes, epidemiologic studies show that people with binge-eating disorder (and some with bulimia nervosa) have higher rates of impaired glucose regulation and type 2 diabetes compared with people who do not binge. The key driver is metabolic: repeated overeating and weight gain increase insulin resistance. Individual risk varies by genetics, activity, and overall health. Working with a clinician can help you assess and lower your risk.
How is diabulimia treated?
Treatment combines rapid medical stabilization when needed, insulin re-education with an endocrinologist or diabetes educator, and eating disorder therapies (individual, family, and behavioral approaches). Registered dietitians and certified diabetes educators collaborate to create safe meal and insulin plans that support recovery. Long-term care addresses both the medical complications and the underlying drivers of insulin withholding.
I don’t have diabetes, but should I be worried?
If you don’t have diabetes, most eating disorder behaviors won’t trigger type 1 diabetes. However, disordered eating can still harm metabolic health (blood sugar swings, cholesterol, and blood pressure) and raise the risk of type 2 diabetes over time. If you’re concerned about bingeing, weight changes, or metabolic symptoms, ask your provider for a screening and a plan to reduce risk. Early help makes a big difference.