Eating disorders are frequent among type 2 diabetic patients and are associated with worse metabolic and psychological outcomes: results from a cross-sectional study in primary and secondary care settings.

Aims: Data regarding the prevalence of eating disorders (ED) and their influence on clinical outcomes among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are scarce. Our aim is to investigate the frequency of positive screening for ED, specifically binge eating disorder (BED), in a T2DM sample and analyze whether there are any differences among T2DM subjects with a positive screening for ED or BED.

Methods: Three hundred and twenty subjects with T2DM were recruited randomly. All participants were evaluated for the presence of ED by completing the "Eating Attitudes Test-26" (EAT-26). In addition, the "Questionnaire of Eating and Weight Patterns-Revised" (QEWP-R) for the screening of BED was also implemented. Sociodemographic, clinical and biochemical parameters were also recorded.

Results: According to EAT-26, 14 % of subjects screened positive for ED. Regarding QEWP-R, 16 % had a positive screening for ED, with BED having a frequency of 12.2 %, being the most prevalent one. There was a positive correlation between the scores obtained with the EAT-26 and the Beck Depression Inventory (p = 0.0014). Patients with BED were younger (57.5 ± 11.1 vs 63.3 ± 10.3 years; p = 0.004), with a lesser T2DM duration (8.5 ± 6.1 vs 12.1 ± 9.6 years; p = 0.002). Weight and BMI among subjects with BED were greater (89.1 ± 1.3 vs 82.4 ± 16.7 kg; p = 0.04 and 39.4 ± 10.3 vs 30.7 ± 5.5 kg/m(2); p = 0.01). The frequency of subjects with one admission related to T2DM or any other condition during the last year was higher (10 vs 3 %; p = 0.04 and 33 vs 21 %; p = 0.01).

Conclusions: ED among T2DM are frequent. Due to their deleterious effect on different metabolic and psychological outcomes, they should be diagnosed promptly, especially BED.