A Comparison of Eating Behaviors in Newly Diagnosed NIDDM Patients and Case-Matched Control Subjects

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To determine whether disordered eating may be problematic in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We contrasted the eating behaviors and attitudes in 50 newly diagnosed NIDDM patients with 50 age-, sex-, and weight-matched control subjects. RESULTS Although 14% of diabetic subjects versus 4% of nondiabetic subjects reported episodes of binge eating (P < 0.10), there was no difference between diabetic and nondiabetic subjects in the prevalence with which they met criteria for binge eating disorder. Diabetic patients with a history of binge eating were significantly heavier, had younger age at diagnosis, and had more problems with eating in response to situational and emotional cues than did diabetic patients who did not binge. CONCLUSIONS No support was found for greater prevalence of binge eating disorder in newly diagnosed NIDDM patients than in matched nondiabetic control subjects.