Ah, Type 1 Diabetes—the ultimate uninvited guest that crashes into your kid’s life, bringing along a lifetime supply of blood sugar monitors, carb counting, and insulin injections. As if raising a child wasn’t already a high-stakes operation, now you get to play pancreas, mathematician, and psychologist all at once. And if that’s not enough, let’s throw in a delightful side dish of eating disorder risks. Because why make things simple when they can be exceptionally complicated?
Here’s the deal: Kids with Type 1 Diabetes are at a higher risk for developing disordered eating behaviors than their non-diabetic peers. The combo of constant food tracking, rigid meal schedules, and the psychological burden of an autoimmune disease can create a perfect storm for unhealthy attitudes toward food. And let's not forget the dark, alluring temptation of skipping insulin to lose weight (a disorder known as diabulimia).
So how do you prevent your kid from developing an unhealthy relationship with food while managing a disease that literally requires an obsessive focus on eating? Buckle up, because we’re about to navigate this tightrope without falling into the abyss of food policing, guilt-tripping, or full-blown control freak territory.
Step 1: Ditch the Moral Language About Food
First things first—cut out the “good food” vs. “bad food” nonsense. Look, you don’t need to tell your kid that cookies are “bad” or that broccoli is “good.” Because guess what? Cookies are delicious, and broccoli tastes like disappointment unless you douse it in cheese.
Instead, frame food choices in terms of how they affect blood sugar and energy levels. Food isn’t good or bad—it’s just fuel. Some fuels keep the engine running smoothly for longer, and others burn up quickly. The more neutral and factual you keep it, the less likely your kid is to develop weird food guilt.
Step 2: Don’t Turn Mealtime Into a Math Exam
We get it—carbs, insulin ratios, and blood sugar levels require some serious calculations. But if every meal feels like a SAT prep course, you’re setting the stage for food anxiety.
Try to make carb counting and insulin dosing as low-key as possible. Instead of turning meals into a tense, number-crunching event, build a routine where these calculations happen quickly and without melodrama. If it feels like a chore, kids will start resenting the process (and eventually, food itself).
Step 3: Encourage Intuitive Eating—Yes, Even With Diabetes
Intuitive eating and diabetes management seem like an odd couple, but hear me out: The goal is to help your kid listen to their body while also managing their blood sugar. This means:
Allowing them to eat when they’re hungry (not just on a strict schedule unless medically necessary)
Letting them enjoy food without guilt
Teaching them to recognize when they’re full before they enter a post-binge coma
Rigid eating schedules might be necessary at times, but flexibility is key. If your kid learns to trust their hunger and fullness cues, they’ll be less likely to fall into restrictive eating patterns down the road.
Step 4: Stop Making Weight a Big Deal
Nothing fast-tracks a kid toward an eating disorder like constant weight talk. If your first instinct after a doctor’s visit is to discuss the number on the scale like it’s breaking news, stop.
Instead of focusing on weight, talk about health—and not in a way that makes your kid feel like their body is some kind of defective machine that needs fixing. Avoid comments like:
“You’ve lost weight! That’s great!” (This can encourage insulin omission as a weight-loss tool.)
“You’re gaining weight—be careful!” (Because hello, body shame?)
“We just want to make sure you stay at a healthy weight.” (Even this can plant anxiety about weight fluctuation.)
If weight truly becomes a concern, let doctors lead that conversation while you focus on supporting your child’s health in a non-obsessive way.
Step 5: Watch Out for the Sneaky Signs of Disordered Eating
Kids are master manipulators when it comes to hiding things they don’t want their parents to know. If you see any of the following, don’t brush it off:
Skipping insulin (because they forgot or didn’t feel like it)
Avoiding food or suddenly being hyper-picky
Hoarding snacks like a squirrel prepping for winter
Frequent blood sugar spikes and crashes that don’t make sense
Excessive exercise to “burn off” food
Constant talk about weight, calories, or body image
If you see red flags, don’t freak out, but don’t ignore them either. Open conversations in a judgment-free way, and if needed, bring in a professional who specializes in both diabetes and eating disorders.
Step 6: Model a Healthy Relationship With Food Yourself
Kids pick up on everything. If you’re constantly on some low-carb diet, obsessing over your weight, or talking about how you shouldn’t eat that second slice of cake, guess what? Your kid is taking notes.
Model balanced eating by enjoying food without guilt. Let them see you eating a variety of foods—including so-called “fun” foods—without making a big deal out of it. If they see you eating cake without spiraling into a shame spiral, they’ll learn that food is just food—not a moral dilemma.
Step 7: Get a Support Squad
Raising a kid with Type 1 Diabetes is not a solo mission. Find a diabetes-savvy dietitian, a therapist, or a support group that understands the unique struggle of balancing blood sugar while also preventing eating disorders. It’s a niche issue, but there are professionals who specialize in it.
And while we’re at it, find support for yourself too. Managing your child’s diabetes without losing your mind is a tall order, and you need an outlet that doesn’t involve trauma-dumping on your kid.
Final Thoughts: Be the Chill Parent (Sort Of)
At the end of the day, your goal isn’t to control your child’s eating but to help them develop a healthy, balanced relationship with food and their body. Diabetes management is hard enough without layering shame, fear, or perfectionism on top of it.
Yes, it’s a lot. No, you’re not going to get it all right. But if you approach food, insulin, and weight with calm, neutral energy, your kid is way less likely to develop a toxic relationship with eating.
So take a deep breath, grab a snack, and remind yourself: You’re doing the best you can. And that’s good enough.
The Mindfulness Toolkit for Diabetes Management: Transform Stress into Strength Kindle Edition