What Other Health Problems Can You Have With Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating disorder may lead to weight gain and health problems related to obesity. Overweight and obesity are linked to many health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. People with binge eating disorder may also have mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts. Some people with binge eating disorder also have sleep disorders, problems with their digestive system, or joint and muscle pain. More than half of people with binge eating disorder report it caused them problems in social functioning, for example, it interferes with their normal daily activities.1
Binge Eating Disorder: How College Can Make It Worse
With anorexia having the highest mortality rate among any other psychiatric illness, the focus and attention given towards prevention and treatment is absolutely essential. However, sometimes overshadowed is the equally devastating Binge Eating Disorder, also classified as a major eating disorder by the American Psychiatric Association in May of 2013. Learn more about the devastating effects of BED while at college here.
Bed Holistic Health And Weight Loss
Overweight binge eaters represent a collision of two traditional treatment worlds: eating disorders and weight control. 30-40% of those seeking weight loss treatment meet the criteria for BED. In a residential weight control treatment setting, this link between overweight/obesity and binge eating is striking. Our mean BMI is 43.3 and data suggest that 43.7 % of our participants have BED. A host of co-morbidities results from this combination of eating pathology and obesity.
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Warning Signs And Symptoms
Warning signs of binge eating disorder may include:
- Eating unusually large amounts of food in a small amount of time
- Feeling out of control of your eating
- Eating despite a lack of appetite
- Eating rapidly
- Eating to the point of discomfort or feeling ill
- Eating alone or in secret
- Feeling depressed, guilty, disgusted, ashamed, or sad after eating or about your eating habits
- Frequently dieting or restricting with no success and often without weight loss
How Does Binge Eating Disorder Affect Pregnancy
Binge eating disorder can cause problems getting pregnant and during pregnancy. Pregnancy can also trigger binge eating disorder.
Obesity raises the level of the hormone estrogen in your body. Higher levels of estrogen can stop you from ovulating, or releasing an egg from the ovary. This can make it more difficult to get pregnant. However, if you do not want to have children right now and have sex, you should use birth control.
Overweight or obesity may also cause problems during pregnancy. Overweight and obesity raises your risk for:
- Gestational hypertension and preeclampsia . If not controlled, both problems can threaten the life of the mother and the baby.
- Gestational diabetes . If not controlled, gestational diabetes can cause you to have a large baby. This raises your risk for a C-section.15
Pregnancy can raise the risk for binge eating disorder in women who are at higher risk for eating disorders. In one study, almost half of the women with binge eating disorder got the condition during pregnancy. The research suggests that binge eating during pregnancy may be caused by:16
- Worry over pregnancy weight gain. Women may binge because they feel a loss of control over their bodies because of the pregnancy weight.
- Greater stress during pregnancy
- History of smoking and alcohol abuse
- Lack of social support
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Continue Learning About Eating Disorders
Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.
How Is Bed Diagnosed
While some people may occasionally overeat, such as at Thanksgiving or a party, it does not mean they have BED, despite having experienced some of the symptoms listed above.
BED typically starts in the late teens to early twenties, although it can occur at any age. People generally need support to help overcome BED and develop a healthy relationship with food. If left untreated, BED can last for many years .
To be diagnosed, a person must have had at least one binge eating episode per week for a minimum of three months .
The severity ranges from mild, which is characterized by one to three binge eating episodes per week, to extreme, which is characterized by 14 or more episodes per week .
Another important characteristic is not taking action to undo a binge. This means that, unlike bulimia, a person with BED does not throw up, take laxatives, or over-exercise to try and counteract a binging episode.
Like other eating disorders, its more common in women than men. However, its more common among men than other types of eating disorders (
Although these health risks are significant, there are a number of effective treatments for BED.
Summary
BED is linked to an increased risk of weight gain and obesity, as well as associated diseases like diabetes and heart disease. There are also other health risks, including sleep problems, chronic pain, mental health problems, and reduced quality of life.
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Breaking 5 Myths Of Binge Eating
Binge Eating Disorder is the most common of all the eating disorders but incongruently, with the least treatment options for the sufferers. Until recently, BED was not even recognized as an actual disorder and could not be found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual published by The American Psychiatric Association.
Binge Eating Disorder Is Only About Food
While an eating disorder is an eating disorder by name, they are much more by nature. All eating disorders have a psychological cause, and are usually linked with severe underlying psychological distress. This may be low self-esteem, poor body image, a sense of lack of control or other emotions. Food – whether bingeing, purging or restricting intake – can provide temporary relief, but is often followed by more self-loathing, which leads to a vicious cycle.
“Binge eating disorder might cause someone to skip class or call in sick to work, either because they are bingeing or because they had a binge the night before and feel so depressed that they can’t get out of bed. It can impact intimacy and relationships when someone feels ashamed about their body and they don’t want someone to touch them.”
She adds that living with binge eating disorder can make someone irritable and anxious, and affect their ability to live in the moment and connect with others, due to being consumed by thoughts about food.
“Binge eating disorder can impact a person’s social life if they avoid social situations that involve food or drink because they are worried they might binge. Or, they may be recovering from a binge and feel so physically unwell that they don’t want to be seen or to see others,” says Kunicki.
Effects after a binge can include:
- Sadness.
- Feeling out of control.
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How To Overcome Binging
The first step in overcoming binge eating is speaking to a medical professional. This person can help with a diagnosis, determine the severity of the disorder, and recommend the most appropriate treatment.
In general, the most effective treatment is CBT, but a range of treatments exists. Depending on individual circumstances, just one therapy or a combination may work best.
No matter which treatment strategy is used, it is important to also make healthy lifestyle and diet choices when possible.
Here are some additional helpful strategies:
- Keep a food and mood diary. Identifying personal triggers is an important step in learning how to control binge impulses.
- Practice mindfulness. This can help increase awareness of binging triggers while helping increase self-control and maintaining self-acceptance (
Binge Eating Disorder Treatment
Treatment for BED can be crucial in reducing the lifetime prevalence of the disorder, that is, reducing the likelihood one will struggle with BED behaviors for their lifetime.
As with most eating disorders, the number one, evidence-based treatment recommended is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy . One study notes that CBT has higher abstinence, is well-tolerated, and maintains remission for 1 or 2 years . CBT focuses on the impact that beliefs and thoughts have on subsequent feelings and behaviors, encouraging individuals to alter their core beliefs and thoughts in a way that then alters their behaviors.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is also recommended, as it was created for individuals that struggle with emotion regulation, which is also correlated with BED. DBT focuses on how one can regulate their emotional states, tolerate distress, exist within the present moment, and communicate needs to others. All of these skills work effectively to reduce BED symptoms as well as the symptoms of disorders that often co-occur with BED.
Regardless of the theoretical orientation to treatment, the key is to receive treatment at all. Of course, be a conscious consumer and do not be afraid to ask your treatment team if they are using the most up-to-date, evidence-based treatments and, if they are not, why they are not. Even so, the likelihood of individual achieving remission of BED symptoms and recovery increases with any type of mental health treatment.
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Teens Participating In The Summer Wellness Programs
Palo Alto Medical Foundation
At least 30 million U.S. people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder. There are different types of eating disorders with many different warning signs.
If you fall into any of these descriptions for an eating disorder, dont hesitate to contact your doctor or a counselor. If you have friends who might have an eating disorder, please encourage them to seek help you may save a life.
Getting Help For Binge Eating Disorder
If you are suffering from binge eating disorder, it is nothing to be ashamed of. Many people suffer from eating disorders and recover.
We can help you find a binge eating disorder treatment program that specializes in treating people just like you. Call our helpline at 1-888-344-8837 to speak with a treatment advisor today. We are always available to answer your questions and discuss your options.
. Mayo Clinic. . Binge eating disorder.
. Bulik, C. M., Sullivan, P. F. and Kendler, K. S. . Genetic and environmental contributions to obesity and binge eating.International Journal Eating Disorders, 33: 293298.
. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Womens Health. . Binge eating disorder fact sheet.
. Pike, K. M., Wilfley, D., Hilbert, A., Fairburn, C. G., Dohm, F. A., & Striegel-Moore, R. H. . Antecedent life events of binge-eating disorder.Psychiatry Research, 142, 19-29.
. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. . Definition and facts for binge eating disorder.
. De Zwaan, M. . Binge eating disorder and obesity. International Journal of Obesity & Related Metabolic Disorders, 25.
. Hudson, J., Hiripi, E., Pope, H, and Kessler, R. . The Prevalence and Correlates of Eating Disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Biological Psychiatry 61:348-358.
. American Psychiatric Association. . Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Association
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How Is Binge Eating Disorder Treated
Your doctor may refer you to a team of doctors, nutritionists, and therapists who will work to help you get better.
Treatment plans may include one or more of the following:
- Psychotherapy. Sometimes called “talk therapy,” psychotherapy is counseling to help you change any harmful thoughts or behaviors. This therapy may focus on the importance of talking about your feelings and how they affect what you do. For example, you might talk about how stress triggers a binge. You may work one-on-one with a therapist or in a group with others who have binge eating disorder.
- Nutritional counseling. A registered dietitian can help you eat in a healthier way.
- Medicine, such as appetite suppressants or antidepressants prescribed by a doctor. Antidepressants may help some girls and women with binge eating disorder who also have anxiety or depression.
Most girls and women do get better with treatment and are able to eat in healthy ways again.14 Some may get better after the first treatment. Others get well but may relapse and need treatment again.
How Is Binge Eating Disorder Different From Bulimia Nervosa
People who have bulimia nervosa routinely try to prevent weight gain after binge eating by vomiting, using laxatives or diuretics, fasting, or exercising excessively. People with binge eating disorder may occasionally try these strategies to avoid weight gain, but it is not a regular part of their binge-eating behavior.
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Kids Binge Eating And The Rise In Obesity In American Children
The response to this epidemic has sent many mixed messages to families, who may feel unsure about how to handle their growing children. Could a country that is hyper-focused on obesity in our youth, in combination with a culture that is saturated with a disillusioned media, be leading to a rise in eating disorders in younger generations?
What Are Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are serious, biologically influenced medical illnesses marked by severe disturbances to ones eating behaviors. Although many people may be concerned about their health, weight, or appearance from time to time, some people become fixated or obsessed with weight loss, body weight or shape, and controlling their food intake. These may be signs of an eating disorder.
Eating disorders are not a choice. These disorders can affect a persons physical and mental health. In some cases, they can be life-threatening. With treatment, however, people can recover completely from eating disorders.
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Creating A Healthy Recovery Plan
Much of the healing process centers on helping an individual feel emotionally full in their own lives. Reinforcing a positive body image and working to set appropriate goals for ones body can help an individual see themselves in a positive light while combatting the feelings of self-criticism, belittlement, and shame that may be present. However, addressing this also involves approaching ones eating habits with a cognitive-behavioral approach, understanding the reason behind ones eating and working to better address feelings of anxiety, depression, or other mental health disorders that could be informing ones eating habits as a coping strategy. Working with professionals in a safe environment is crucial in taking the first step to understanding and overcoming a binge eating disorder in ones own life.
Seeking Help And Treatment For Binge Eating Disorder
In dealing with this disorder, the Binge Eating Disorder Program at Remuda Ranch suggests the following:
Evaluate your beliefs about the purpose of eating. There are two reasons to eat: nourishment and enjoyment. Food meets the bodys requirements and provides enjoyment. Both need to be present in balance. With binge eating, the potential exists for neither to be present. Often, the type of food ingested is not beneficial to the body and is not enjoyed.
Acknowledge that there may be a problem. Look closely at the behavior and ask: Am I eating for reasons other than nourishing my body or enjoyment? Then, consider what needs you are trying to meet through food.
Dont diet. Especially if overweight, individuals with binge eating may turn to dieting. This is a mistake since dieting involves restriction, which leads to feelings of deprivation, which in turn leads to bingeing.
Instead, try to reconnect with your bodys signals of hunger and fullness. If a desire to eat is present, ask yourself: Am I really hungry?
If not, try to gain understanding about why you want to eat when not hungry. Could it be loneliness, anger, frustration, or depression?
Seek help. A therapist or counselor can help you get to the whys of your eating behavior and find new ways of dealing with the emotions that underlie the behavior. Therapists who use cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques are usually the most successful. If medical complications exist, consult a physician.
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Health Consequences Of Eating Disorders
Eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating are serious, potentially life-threatening conditions that affect a persons emotional and physical health. Eating disorders are neither a fad nor a phase that a person goes through. Such a belief minimizes the seriousness of these disorders and discourages their treatment. There are serious health consequences that result from leaving these disorders go untreated,
Eating disorders are real, complex, and devastating conditions that can have serious consequences for health, productivity, and relationships. People struggling with an eating disorder need to seek professional help. The earlier a person with an eating disorder seeks treatment, the greater the likelihood of physical and emotional recovery.
Occurrence And Risk Factors
Most people with this problem are either overweight or obese, but people of normal weight can also have the disorder.
About two percent of all adults in theUnited States have binge eating disorder. About ten to fifteen percent of people who are mildly obese and who try to lose weight on their own or through commercial weight-loss programs have binge eating disorder. The disorder is even more common in people who are severely obese.
Binge eating disorder is twice as common among women as among men. The disorder is found in all ethno-cultural and racial populations. People who are obese and have binge eating disorder often became overweight at a younger age than those without the disorder. They might also lose and gain back weight more often, or be paranoid about gaining weight.
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Bed & Bariatric Surgery Or The Sleeve
Countless individuals struggle with Binge Eating Disorder throughout our nation though many suffer in silence due to the fears and stigmas that surround this painful disorder. A common physical effect that can result from BED is obesity, which can result from consuming a greater amount of food than is needed over time.