Overview

An eating disorder is a compulsion to eat, or avoid eating, that negatively affects both one's physical and mental health. Eating disorders are all encompassing. They affect every part of the person's life. According to the authors of Surviving an Eating Disorder, "feelings about work, school, relationships, day-to-day activities and one's experience of emotional well being are determined by what has or has not been eaten or by a number on a scale." Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the most common eating disorders generally recognized by medical classification schemes, with a significant diagnostic overlap between the two. Together, they affect an estimated 5-7% of females in the United States during their lifetimes. There is a third type of eating disorder currently being investigated and defined - Binge Eating Disorder. This is a chronic condition that occurs when an individual consumes huge amounts of food during a brief period of time and feels totally out of control and unable to stop their eating. It can lead to serious health conditions such as morbid obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Binge Eating and Its Negative Affects

I know there are lots of people out there (myself included) who overeat on some occasions. I think everyone if guilty of this once in a while (think Thanksgiving). For many people though, overeating is a regular occurrence due to many factors, one of which is depression. Binge eating on a regular basis is actually a disorder that can have long-term negative effects on your health. People who binge eat feel a compulsion to do this and can't resist the urges. Binge eating is actually the most common eating disorder there is. To give you an example of binge eating compared to regular eating take a look at this:

A normal diet consists of 1,500-3,000 calories per day A binge diet can consist of 10,000-20,000 calories per day

Unless you exercise as much as Michael Phelps you should be nowhere near 10,000 calories per day. Eating this many calories per day can lead to gaining weight extremely quickly which can do a lot of damage to your organs, especially your heart. Typically binges do not last all day. In reality, they typically last about 2 hours. But just take a look at how many calories you can consume on a typical day binge eating is involved. Here are some behavioral and emotional signs and symptoms of binge eating:

Eating large amounts of food

Eating even when you're full

Eating rapidly during binge episodes

Feeling that your eating behavior is out of control

Depression

Anxiety

Frequent dieting without weight loss

Frequently eating alone

Hoarding food

Hiding empty food containers

Feeling depressed, disgusted or upset about your eating

No one knows what exactly causes a binge eating disorder but some factors include:

Biological. Biological vulnerability may play a role in developing binge-eating disorder. Both genes and brain chemicals may be involved. In addition, researchers are studying appetite regulation of the central nervous system for clues, along with gastrointestinal changes that might shed light on causes.

Psychological. Psychological and emotional characteristics may also contribute to the condition. You may have low self-worth and trouble controlling impulsive behaviors, managing moods or expressing anger.

Sociocultural. Modern Western culture often cultivates and reinforces a desire for thinness. Although most people who have binge-eating disorder are overweight, they're acutely aware of their body shape and appearance and berate themselves after eating binges. Some people with binge-eating disorder have a history of being sexually abused. If you suffer from binge eating and find you can't control it I strongly urge you seek medical advice. This can lead to serious health conditions if it isn't treated which includes high blood pressure, gastrointestinal problems, anxiety, heart disease, stroke, and many other conditions..



Autor: Ronald Cheli

Added: January 22, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

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