BACKGROUND: Little has been reported regarding the epidemiology of eating disorders (EDs) in type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We examined the Polish National Health Fund-NFZ database estimates of all medical visits from 2008 to 2017 to determine the trend and the epidemiology of EDs in T2DM patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The NFZ database were used. We defined the T2DM group diagnosed with both T2DM and EDs according to the ICD-10 codes. Demographic data were collected from the webpage of Statistics Poland (GUS). The annual prevalence of EDs was estimated according to the T2DM diagnosis status, and the age groups were stratified into 8 groups.

RESULTS: The prevalence of EDs in T2DM patients in the whole patient population with diagnosed T2DM ranged from 0.059% (in 2017) to 0.086% patients (in 2010). Differences in subcategories of EDs were noted. In the case of anorexia nervosa, a decreasing trend of coexistence with T2DM was noted. However, in the case of atypical anorexia nervosa, an increasing trend was observed. Both in the case of bulimia nervosa and atypical bulimia nervosa, an increasing trend of coexistence with T2DM was noted. As patients with T2DM age, the prevalence of EDs in T2DM decreased.

CONCLUSIONS: A relatively stable trend of prevalence of EDs in T2DM patients benefiting from state medical care indicated the need to develop effective screening methods and adequate procedures for therapeutic interventions with this group of patients using a multidisciplinary therapeutic team.

Keywords: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Epidemiology, Longitudinal Studies