Binge eating disorder (BED) is a serious form of compulsive overeating that occurs when a person consumes an abnormally large quantity of food on a recurrent basis and is unable to stop eating once they have started. (Mayo Clinic, 2018).
BED is a severe, life-threatening, and treatable eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large amounts of food (often very quickly and to the point of discomfort); a sense of loss of control during the binge; feelings of shame, distress, or guilt afterwards; and not regularly using unhealthy compensatory measures (e.g., purging) to counteract the binge eating (NEDA: Feeding Hope, 2022).
Binge eaters are known to eat one type of food more frequently than others, depending on personal taste. Binge eaters prefer unhealthy, greasy, sugary, or processed foods. This frequently results in binge eaters gaining a lot of weight and becoming obese---although this may vary depending on the individual's metabolic rate and how frequently they binge (Nutritionist Resource, 2012).
BED usually begins in the late teens to early twenties, but it can happen at any age. People in general require assistance in overcoming BED and developing a healthy relationship with food. BED can persist for several years if left untreated (PubMed Central, 2013).
Three or more of the following symptoms must be present for a healthcare provider to diagnose BED (Mandl, 2019):
- eating much faster than usual
- eating until unbearably full
- consuming a lot of food without getting hungry
- eating alone out of humiliation and embarrassment
- feelings of shame or contempt for oneself
A person must have had at least one binge eating episode per week for at least three months in order to be diagnosed. The severity ranges from low, defined as one to three binge eating episodes per week, to extreme, defined as 14 or more episodes per week. (PubMEd Central, 2013).
Frequently, binge eating results in weight gain. A number of dangerous ailments and diseases, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, chronic back pain, heart disease, and osteoarthritis, are more likely to occur in those who gain too much weight (Nutritionist Resource, 2012).
Treatment for BED is intended to assist you in addressing the underlying causes of binge eating. Stress, poor coping skills, inability to prioritize self, body shame, low self-esteem, and/or repeated emotions of failure for having dieted and then weight cycled, promising never to binge eat again, only to succumb due to feeling unable to resist the impulse to binge eat, could all be factors.
Multiple professionals, including a therapist/counselor, medical doctor, psychiatrist, and registered nutritionist-dietitian, will collaborate to treat binge eating disorder. Each of these professionals works in their respective field to address a problem that a person with binge eating disorder may encounter (Eating Disorder Hope, 2022).
Binge eating disorder can be treated with nutrition counseling by a Registered Nutritionist-Dietitian. Because many people with BED have tried to lose weight, weight loss counseling should not begin until the eating disorder is treated. Nutritional counseling teaches people healthy eating habits. It can also help people avoid binge eating habits.
BED is a serious condition that can have severe health consequences. There are effective treatments available, such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Other treatment options, such as interpersonal therapy, family therapy, medication, and self-help, can also be advantageous. Importantly, the focus should be on treating BED rather than weight loss. (Muhlheim, 2021). (CMU BSND OJT Lhalene Flores / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 09631091098)
References:
Binge eating disorder. Nutritionist Resource. (n.d.). https://www.nutritionist-resource.org.uk/articles/binge-eating.html#livingwithabingeeatingdisorder
Mandl, E. (2019, December 3). Binge eating disorder: Symptoms, causes, and treatment. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/binge-eating-disorder#treatment
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2018, May 5). Binge-eating disorder. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/binge-eating-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353627
Medical nutrition therapy for binge eating disorder. Eating Disorder Hope. (2022, August 3). https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/binge-eating-disorder/medical-nutrition-therapy-for-binge-eating-disorder
Muhlheim, L. (2021, September 7). How cognitive behavioral therapy can help treat binge eating disorder. Verywell Mind.https://www.verywellmind.com/treatments-for-binge-eating-disorder-4047408
