Binge eating is a pattern of disordered eating which consists of episodes of uncontrollable eating. It is a common symptom of eating disorders such as binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa. During such binges, a person rapidly consumes an excessive quantity of food. A diagnosis of binge eating is associated with feelings of loss of control. Binge eating disorder is also linked with being overweight and obesity.
Diagnosis
The DSM-5 includes a disorder diagnosis criterion for Binge Eating Disorder (BED). It is as follows:
Recurrent and persistent episodes of binge eating
Binge eating episodes are associated with three (or more) of the following: Eating much more rapidly than normal Eating until feeling uncomfortably full Eating large amounts of food when not 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 regarding binge eating Absence of regular compensatory behaviors (such as purging)
Warning signs
Typical warning signs of binge eating disorder include the disappearance of a large quantity of food in a relatively short period of time. A person who may be experiencing binge eating disorder may appear to be uncomfortable when eating around others or in public. A person may develop new and extreme eating patterns that they have never done before. These might include diets that cut out certain food groups completely such as a no dairy or no carb diet. Binge eating can begin before a first attempt at dieting. They might also steal or hoard food in unusual places. A person may be experiencing fluctuations in their weight. In addition, they may have feelings of disgust, depression, or guilt about overeating. Another possible warning sign of binge eating is that a person may be obsessed with their body image or weight.
Furthermore, patients who binge eat may also engage in other self-destructing behaviours like suicide attempts, drug use, shop-lifting, and drinking too much alcohol. The onset of binge eating without dieting is linked to a higher risk of mental health issues and a younger age of onset. BED patients can experience comorbid psychiatric instability.
Causes
There are no direct causes of binge eating; however, long-term dieting, psychological issues and an obsession with body image have been linked to binge eating. There are multiple factors that increase a person's risk of developing binge eating disorder. Family history could play a role if that person had a family member who was affected by binge eating. Said person may not have a supportive or friendly home environment, and they have a hard time expressing their problems with BED. Having a history of going on extreme diets may cause an urge to binge eat. Psychological issues such as feeling negatively about oneself or the way they look may trigger a binge.
Weight stigma has also been found to predict binge eating, highlighting the importance of weight inclusive approaches to binge eating disorder that do not exercerbate this potential cause.
Health risks
There are several physical, emotional, and social health risks when associated with binge eating disorder. These risks include depression, anxiety, and heart disease.
One study found that people with obesity who experience binge eating have a higher body mass index, and higher levels of depression and stress than those who did not have with binge eating disorder Exposure to two major categories of risk factors—those that raise the risk for obesity and those that raise the risk for psychiatric disorders in general—can be associated with binge eating disorder.
Effects
Typically, the eating is done rapidly, and a person will feel emotionally numb and unable to stop eating. Most people who have eating binges try to hide this behavior from others, and often feel ashamed about being overweight or depressed about their overeating. Although people who do not have any eating disorder may occasionally experience episodes of overeating, frequent binge eating is often a symptom of an eating disorder.
BED is characterized by uncontrollable, excessive eating, followed by feelings of shame and guilt. Unlike those with bulimia, those with BED symptoms typically do not purge their food, fast, or excessively exercise to compensate for binges. Additionally, these individuals tend to diet more often, enroll in weight-control programs and have a history of family obesity. However, many who have bulimia also have binge-eating disorder.