By Andrea Pelin,
Project Weight Loss Staff Writer
March 27, 2009 Binge eating means that you eat more than you should and cannot control yourself. Eating a lot, in itself, does not mean you have a binge eating disorder, although most people suffering from binge eating have problems with how much and how often they eat.
The binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder. Both obese and normal-weight people may suffer from this disorder, but the cases of overweight people with binge eating disorders are more numerous. Binge eating occurs more frequently with women than men.
Researchers have not found, so far, the causes of binge eating disorders. Almost half of the people with this problem suffer, or have suffered in the past, from depression. Whether binge eating disorders may be caused by depression or not isn`t known yet.
The binge eating disorder appears when people eat a lot, even if they are not hungry, until they feel uncomfortably full. This type of eating disorder makes people eat more quickly than usually, and by themselves, because they feel embarrassed of the amount of food they eat.
Some people may feel guilty, depressed, or disgusted after overeating. Studies showed that people suffering from binge eating hardly control their emotions. They may lead to overeating by anger, sadness, worries, or stress.
Binge eating is also connected with not eating enough at meal times, avoiding certain foods, or skipping meals but results are still unclear about this matter. This eating disorder is known to cause behavior and emotional problems like alcohol abuse, impulsive behavior, and feelings of isolation and depression.
The fact that several members of the same family may be affected by binge eating disorder made the researchers believe that genes may play a key role in this condition.
People who suffer from binge eating report more sleeping problems, suicidal thoughts, or stress than people who don`t. Some of them miss work, social activities, school, and feel bad about themselves.
People who deal with binge eating disorders hide their problem so that friends and family don`t know about it. However, they need help. Binge eating disorders may be treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy that help patients change unhealthy eating habits, interpersonal psychotherapy, or drug therapy.
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