At age 12, Asha Brown discovered she had a secret weapon to control her weight – her type 1 diabetes. Restricting insulin allowed her to eat whatever she wanted and not gain weight, and it also gave her more energy – an asset given her affinity for acting and dance. But it made her increasingly sicker, and she finally realized that she needed help or she would die.
Now 30, Asha will talk about how she finally overcame her diabulimia at the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) Annual Meeting in New Orleans Aug. 5-8. Diabetes educators Marcia Meier, RN, and Lorraine Platka-Bird, PhD, RD, also will present their insights into treating people with type 1 diabetes who have an eating disorder, touching on effective strategies for identification and the importance of treating both conditions simultaneously.
Contact us at (312) 558-1770 to set up an interview with Marcia, Lorraine or Asha.
Fast Facts: - 30 - 40 percent of young girls and women with type 1 diabetes already have developed or will develop an eating disorder. - Restricting insulin can result in high blood sugar, buildup of toxic acids in blood (ketoacidosis) and earlier onset of diabetes complications.
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