What Is Binge Eating Wrong

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, binge eating is defined as uncontrolled compulsive eating, especially as a symptom of bulimia or binge eating disorder(BED). Individuals, who suffer from a (BED), usually, consume, abnormally large amounts of food, quickly. The condition causes sufferers to eat until they are painfully full. we live in a society that accepts encourages overindulging . Therefore, there are probably several occasions on which we eat more than we should. In order for a person to be diagnosed with a (BED), they would have to experience episodes of ("Binge Eating"). that “occur, on average, at least 2 days a week for 6 months Wonderlich et al. (2003). Binge eating is an old problem, whose

Binge eating is not only caused due to mental illness such as guilt, depression, embarrassment or displeasure. It might also be due to lack of food or craving for food. Few people who suffer from binge

It is now defined as “Recurring episodes of eating significantly more food in a short period of time than most people would eat under similar circumstances, with episodes marked by feelings of lack of control.… The person may have feelings of guilt, embarrassment, or disgust and may binge eat alone to hide the behavior”. It is important to note that there is a difference between over-eating and binge-eating, while over-eating is a recognizable problem for many people, “binge-eating is much less common, far more severe, and associated with significant physiological and psychological problems” (DSM 5). Binge Eating Disorder is similar to Bulimia Nervosa in that we see episodes of eating large amounts of food, the difference being that there is no purging after the binging episode. It is seen highly among obese patients, but, perhaps due to a reluctance to relate obesity with an eating disorder, it was not recognized as distinct from Bulimia Nervosa until the early 1990s (Gordon, 2000).

Binge eating disorder (BED) is a psychiatric condition characterized by the consumption of large quantities of food in a specific amount of time, and feeling out of control while eating. BED also involves feelings of guilt and shame after binging but is not accompanied by compensatory behaviors, such as purging or vomiting. Binge eating is described by “eating at a fast pace, eating until feeling uncomfortably full, eating when not feeling hungry, eating alone to hide the amount of food consumed, and feeling depressed and ashamed afterwards” (Binge). Consequently, BED may cause weight gain. However, not all obese people have BED; only “two-thirds of individuals with BED are obese” (Binge). Consuming excessive amounts of Calories and exceeding the recommended dietary allowance can lead to obesity and its associated health risks. Possible health issues include high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart disease, type II diabetes, gallbladder disease, hypertension, and stroke (Binge).

Binge eating disorder (BED) is an eating disorder that is characterized by recurrent binge eating, without the use of compensatory behaviors such as purging, as seen in those with bulimia (Striegel-Moore & Franko, 2003). Anyone can over eat from time to time, it is excessive and out of control overeating that crosses the line towards BED. Those who binge eat are known to have a variety of health problems, both mentally and physically. The chronic, recurrent bingeing associated with BED has been shown to lead to obesity and have a high comorbidity with other psychiatric comorbidities, such as anxiety, depression, and many personality disorders. Therefore, it can affect someone just as much as anorexia or bulimia can. Given its relatively new introduction into the mental health field as its own separate entity, there is limited research on it. Current research is focusing more on the epidemiology of this disorder in order to develop more effective treatments for it.

Not only can binge eating disorder be harmful to the body, but it is also the most common eating disorder between both males and females (Albert and Kelly, 2003). While binge eating is the most common, that does not mean that the other eating disorders like bulimia nervosa or anorexia are not as prevalent. Anorexia nervosa is very common, mostly with women and teenagers and is quite dangerous if not given the appropriate treatment (Woodside, and Garfinkel, 1992).

Although eating disorders have been known since the early 70s, they have become such a major health issue in today’s generation. There are three different types of eating disorders, Anorexia nervosa which is the act of self-starvation, Bulimia Nervosa which is a binge and purge process where one would eat an abnormal amount of food in one sitting the throw it back up or using laxatives to rid the body of food. Lastly there is Binge eating which is the hardest to detect because those who binge eat still look decently healthy they usually workout a lot, but when they are alone they consume large amounts of food. This disease can be found in men and women of all ages.

Females with binge eating are overweight or obese, or can be at a normal weight. Unlike a females with bulimia, after a binge, you don’t vomit or use any laxatives or exercise. Females might think about eating normal meals, or diet but it leads them to more binge eating. “42% of girls in grades in 1-3 want to be thinner, 53% of 13- year-old girls are unhappy with their bodies, 78% of 17-year-old girls are unhappy with their bodies. Adolescent girls are more afraid of gaining weight than getting cancer and losing their parents.” (Why photo shopping is a Matter of life and Death for Many Girls,

When it comes to obesity, society is quick to judge. People make comments about how obese persons can’t get their food portions in control. Additional remarks being discussed are of the types of foods people choose and their lack of exercise. Others may believe that a person’s obesity is related to their genetics. Little is known, to society at large, about binge-eating, obesity, and the possibilities of such being influenced by mental illness.

There is a commonly held view in the general population that eating disorders are a lifestyle choice. However, eating disorders are a group of serious conditions in which a person is preoccupied with food and weight that they often cannot focus on anything else. Amongst all the eating disorder the main types are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder, which are all psychological illnesses. The disorders vary between eating extremely small amounts of food, to not eating at all, or to severely overeating. Each of these eating disorders can cause serious physical and psychological problems, and at their most severe, can even be life-threatening (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

Although anorexia nervosa and bulimia are very dangerous to the health of a person and wreak havoc on the nutritional well-being of the body, there is another serious eating disorder that is often overlooked by society but can be just as unsafe. Sadly, many people have the idea that this particular disorder can be classified as a type of bulimia, but this preconceived idea is incorrect because it is rather a characteristic of the disease than a subcategory of bulimia due to the fact that bulimics force themselves to get rid of their consumptions by exercising or expelling it from their bodies. Binge eating disorder is this very culprit, characterized by excessive and often uncontrollable overeating, which goes well beyond calorie intake recommendations,

Binge eating disorder, also known as BED or compulsive overeating, is a serious disorder that is characterized by a recurrent, irresistible urge to overindulge or binge on food even when you are painfully full. We reveal how and why it becomes a problem, and what you can do about it.

Binge Eating Disorder is a psychological illness characterised by frequently eating excessive amounts of food, often when not hungry. In binge eating disorder there is a tendency to overeat outside the binges and the eating habits of individuals with the disorder resemble those of people with obesity albeit with binges on top of this (Barlow, 2014). The binges represent a distraction that allows a person to avoid thinking about the real root of their problems. Feelings of guilt, disgust and depression often follow a bingeing episode (www.eatingdisorders.org.au). What is central to binge eating is the sense of loss of control. This feature above all distinguishes binge eating from everyday overeating and mere indulgence (Fairburn, 1995). A person with Binge eating disorder will repeatedly engage in binge eating episodes where they eat a large amount of food in a short period of time. During these episodes they will feel a loss of control over their eating and may not be able to stop even if they want to (Cooper, 2009). This is done in the absence of significant

One specific case of eating disorders being misdiagnosed is in the instance of gastrointestinal issues. In some cases, eating disorders can mask the underlying gastrointestinal problem (Chelvanayagam & Newell, 2015). Eating disorders can affect every body system due to purging, starvation, and binge eating (Chelvanayagam & Newell, 2015). Thus making it difficult to accurately diagnose eating disorders. Another issue with diagnosing eating disorders is the criticism of the word binge and what is truly means in terms of eating disorders. This is due to the fact that there is no guide of how much food is too much (Eichen & Wilfley, 2016). The argument is whether the amount of food eaten is necessary to the person’s diet, or if the amount of food eaten was due to loss of self-control (Eichen & Wilfley, 2016).

According to Feldman (1989), “someone who overeats 12 times in three months can be considered to be suffering from the new classification of binge eating.”