Our resource hub is home to a wealth of articles, stories and videos about managing and living with type 1 diabetes.
Place your order for our free information packs that support adults and children who have been recently diagnosed.
Our researchers are working on different ways to develop a cure for type 1 diabetes - from growing insulin-producing beta cells in labs to hacking the immune system.
Learn about the technologies that can deliver insulin automatically when needed. And discover the next generation of insulins that are currently being developed.
You could win a cash prize of up to £25,000 when you play the Breakthrough T1D lottery. As well as the chance to win great prizes, you’ll also help fund our research to find a cure for type 1 diabetes.
Our volunteers generously give us their time, skills and experience to tell people about our work, and to help us raise vital funds for research into better treatments and ultimately a cure for T1D.
Our ambitious new roadmap is aimed at driving significant advancements in type 1 diabetes research, treatment, and care.
Your donation helps support people living with type 1 diabetes and funds the best treatment and cure research.
We provide a wealth of information and free resources to help you support and empower your patients or students.
Take our free course for schools to learn more about supporting pupils with type 1 diabetes in educational settings.
Home > About Breakthrough T1D UK & our impact > Our research > Research projects > Developing resources to support people with body image issues and type 1 diabetes
View Research Project
The goal of Rachael’s research is to create materials which can be used by doctors and nurses to support people with T1D who are experiencing disordered eating and negative body image.
Disordered eating and body image concerns can affect people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in unique ways compared to those without the condition. However, there is currently limited understanding of the specific support they need. Developing tailored educational materials for young women living with both T1D and body image challenges will help improve the quality of care they receive and provide better, more relevant education.
Rachael said: “Experiences with body image are deeply personal and many young women with type 1 diabetes find it challenging. Despite this, there is very little research exploring body image in T1D, and even less that reflects the experiences of people from Black and ethnic minority communities. Young women also tell us that talking about body image with their diabetes teams can be difficult, and that they don’t always get the support they need. We want to change this! This research is looking to co-design recourses that help diabetes teams to give the support that young women with T1D want and need”
Rachael will work with young women living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), including women from diverse backgrounds. Participants will be recruited through a range of diabetes networks to ensure broad representation.
The project will use a method called Photovoice, which allows participants to use photographs to share and express their experiences of body image concerns and living with T1D. Following this, the young women will be invited to take part in co-design workshops alongside healthcare professionals (HCPs).
These workshops will use creative activities such as roleplay and storyboarding to support open communication and shared understanding between young women and HCPs. Insights from both perspectives will form the foundation for new, tailored support and educational materials, which will be refined throughout the project.
Rachael adds: “In this research we will first be addressing that data gap to gain a better shared understanding of body image experiences (the challenges and the good) of people from black and ethnic minority communities. Our hope that this research will create resources that truly speak about, reflect, and support real and diverse experiences of body image.’”
Body image concerns are common and can sometimes develop into eating disorders. For people with type 1 diabetes (T1D), these challenges can have serious health consequences. Disordered eating behaviours, such as skipping insulin to control weight, can lead to long-term complications including eye, nerve, and kidney damage, which can greatly affect quality of life.
This study aims to help by improving understanding of the unique challenges faced by people living with both T1D and eating disorders. By bringing together the experiences of young women with T1D and the perspectives of healthcare professionals, the project will support the development of better, more sensitive educational materials. These resources will help people with T1D feel better supported and enable healthcare professionals to provide more informed, compassionate care.
T1DE refers to type 1 disordered eating. Disordered eating behaviours can affect people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), often linked to body image concerns. This can include deliberately restricting insulin to control weight (known as insulin omission), or experiencing another eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia, alongside T1D.
Restricting or missing insulin can increase the risk of both short and long-term health complications. There is a clear need for appropriate, sensitive resources that support people with T1D to manage both their physical health and their relationship with food and body image. By developing tailored educational and support materials, this project aims to help reduce these risks and improve care for people affected by T1DE.
We have many resources available on our website to support people with disordered eating and body image issues alongside T1D.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of T1DE, please visit our support pages.
Dr Gordon Sloan and his team at the University of Sheffield are researching a new method to identify nerve pain (neuropathy) in teens and young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D).
Dr Tom Wylie’s pioneering research project investigating the psychological impact of type 1 diabetes (T1D), in partnership with the Daphne Jackson Trust.
Dr Kathleen Gillespie and her team are researching how signalling molecules help coordinate immune cell attacks on the pancreas, contributing to T1D development.
Dr Kathleen Gillespie and her team will investigate whether existing tests could help predict how quickly a person in the early stages of T1D will progress.
