Binge Eating FAQ's
Eating is controlled by many factors, including appetite, food availability,
family, peer, and cultural practices, and attempts at voluntary control. Dieting
to a body weight leaner than needed for health is highly promoted by current
fashion trends, sales campaigns for special foods, and in some activities and
professions. Eating disorders involve serious disturbances in eating behavior,
such as extreme and unhealthy reduction of food intake or severe overeating, as
well as feelings of distress or extreme concern about body shape or
weight.
Eating disorders frequently co-occur with other psychiatric disorders such as
depression, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders. In addition, people who
suffer from eating disorders can experience a wide range of physical health
complications, including serious heart conditions and kidney failure which may
lead to death. Recognition of eating disorders as real and treatable diseases,
therefore, is critically important.
Females are much more likely than males to develop an eating disorder. Only
an estimated 5 to 15 percent of people with anorexia or bulimia and an estimated
35 percent of those with binge-eating disorder are male.
Community surveys have estimated that between 2 percent and 5 percent of
Americans experience binge-eating disorder in a 6-month period. Symptoms of
binge-eating disorder include:
- Recurrent episodes of binge eating, characterized by eating an excessive
amount of food within a discrete period of time and by a sense of lack of
control over eating during the episode.
- The binge-eating episodes are associated with at least 3 of the following:
eating much more rapidly than normal; eating until feeling uncomfortably
full; eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry;
eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating; feeling
disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty after overeating.
- Marked distress about the binge-eating behavior.
- The binge eating occurs, on average, at least 2 days a week for 6 months.
- The binge eating is not associated with the regular use of inappropriate
compensatory behaviors (e.g., purging, fasting, excessive exercise).
People with binge-eating disorder experience frequent episodes of
out-of-control eating, with the same binge-eating symptoms as those with
bulimia. The main difference is that individuals with binge-eating disorder do
not purge their bodies of excess calories. Therefore, many with the disorder are
overweight for their age and height. Feelings of self-disgust and shame
associated with this illness can lead to bingeing again, creating a cycle of
binge eating.
For more information, please visit the following MedicineNet.com areas:
Portions of the above information have been provided with the kind permission
of the National Institute of Mental Health. (www.nimh.nih.gov)
Last Editorial Review: 7/7/2004
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