Personality factors and disordered eating in young women with type 1 diabetes mellitus

The authors examined the association between the presence of personality variables implicated in the pathogenesis of eating disorders and the presence of eating disorder symptoms in 51 women with type I diabetes. Subjects were assessed with interview instruments and self-report questionnaires, including scales measuring eating disorder symptoms, borderline personality characteristics, and perfectionism. Fourteen subjects displayed moderate to severe eating disorder symptoms. Perfectionism was related to attitudinal aspects of eating disorders (e.g., weight preoccupation), and borderline personality characteristics were related to disordered behaviors (e.g., insulin omission) and poor glycemic control. The results suggest that personality factors are related to disordered eating and poor glycemic control in diabetic women.