Those of us of a certain age remember well that old commercial in which a doleful middle-aged man, pajama-clad and hunched over, moans, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing.”
Binge Eating
We remember because many of us have been there, repeatedly, and not just with one thing but several – a bag of peanuts, a dozen cookies, half a pizza, ice cream, and more – all consumed, egad, in one sitting.
Binge eating is now estimated by behavioral scientists to be the most common eating disorder, affecting 2 to 5% of American adults 1. Among those seeking weight control treatment, the prevalence is 30% 2.
A BINGE EATING DISORDER IS GENERALLY CHARACTERIZED BY:
- Consuming an unusually large amount of food within a short period of time, about one to two hours.
- Doing it often, at least once a week.
- Feeling a loss of control, meaning, you cannot seem to stop what you’re eating, or how much.
Who is affected
Anyone can be affected by binge eating.
While the condition is slightly more common in women than men, the numbers of men and women affected are more equal than in other eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa.
The condition tends to first develop in young adults, although many people do not seek help until they are in their 30s or 40s.
It’s estimated that there is around a 1 in 30 to 1 in 50 chance of a person developing binge eating disorder at some point during their life.
Getting help
Many people will occasionally binge on food – this doesn't necessarily mean you have a binge eating disorder. However, you should see your GP if you binge regularly and excessively, particularly if the binges are having an effect on your physical and/or mental health.
Your GP can diagnose the condition and may be able to refer you to a specialist, such as a psychiatrist or a psychologist.
Your GP will ask you about your eating habits and look for the following signs:
- you eat much faster than normal during a binge
- you eat until you feel uncomfortably full
- you eat a large amount of food when you are not hungry
- you eat alone or secretly due to being embarrassed about the amount of food you are consuming
- you have feelings of guilt, shame or disgust after binge eating
People who regularly eat this way are likely to have a binge eating disorder.
What causes binge eating?
It's not clear what causes binge eating, but, like most eating disorders, it's seen as a way of coping with feelings of unhappiness and low self-esteem.
Things that may increase your risk of developing problems with binge eating include:
- low self-esteem and a lack of confidence
- depression or anxiety
- feelings of stress, anger, boredom or loneliness
- dissatisfaction with your body and feeling under pressure to be thin
- stressful or traumatic events in your past
- a family history of eating disorders, which may be related to your genes
- differences in your brain or the level of hormones produced by your brain compared to people who don't binge eat
Binge eating can sometimes develop following a strict diet, particularly if you skipped meals, cut certain foods out and didn't eat enough food. These are unhealthy ways to lose weight and may mean you're more likely to binge at another time.
How binge eating is treated
Binge eating is treatable and most people eventually get better with appropriate help and support.
The main treatments are:
- self-help programmes – this may be individually with a book or online course, or as part of a self-help support group
- guided self-help (self-help supervised by regular contacts with a professional)
- specialist group intervention
- individual (one-to-one) psychological therapy – such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- medication called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
These treatments can help you overcome the psychological issues associated with your binge eating, but they won't usually have a significant impact on your weight.
If you are overweight, a healthcare professional may also draw up a weight loss plan to follow during treatment or after any psychological issues have been dealt with.
Risks of binge eating
Binge eating can be associated with serious psychological problems, including depression and anxiety disorders. These feelings can be made worse over time while the person is still binge eating.
A common physical effect of binge eating is weight gain, which can lead to obesity. This can put you at risk of a number of related physical health problems, some of which can be life-threatening.
These include:
- high cholesterol and high blood pressure – which can increase your risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease and stroke
- diabetes – a long-term condition that causes your blood sugar level to become too high
- osteoarthritis – a condition that causes pain and swelling in the joints
- some types of cancer – such as breast cancer and bowel cancer
Therefore, it's important to seek help if you think you may have a binge eating problem, because you may need support to help you tackle both your psychological and physical problems.
Binge eating and bulimia
Although binge eating is similar to another eating disorder called bulimia, the two conditions are different.
In people with bulimia, periods of binge eating are followed by attempts to purge (flush out) the food they have eaten – for example, by making themselves vomit or by taking laxatives.
People who binge eat do not purge themselves to control their weight, but may try to limit weight gain by having periods of eating very little between binges.
No comments:
Post a Comment