According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, compulsive overeating disorder, more commonly called binge eating disorder, is the most common of all eating disorders. It affects about 3 percent of all adults in the United States. Although many people overeat, compulsive overeating disorder is more complex than simply eating a large amount of food from time to time.
Cause
There is no known cause of binge eating disorder, according to the Mayo Clinic. Some factors that may be related to binge eating disorder include family history, depression, dieting, difficulty managing emotions and alterations in brain chemistry.
Risk Factors
People of any age can have binge eating disorder, but it is seen more often in adults between the ages of 46 and 55, reports the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Binge eating disorder is a little more common in women than in men; three women for every two men have it. The disorder affects African Americans as often as Caucasians, but it is not known how often it affects people in other ethnic groups. Patients with compulsive overeating disorder are often obese, but may also be of normal weight.
Diagnosis
The American Psychological Association's criteria for a diagnosis of binge eating disorder includes: recurrent episodes of binge eating, including eating an abnormally large amount of food and feeling a lack of control over eating; binge eating with at least three of the following factors: eating rapidly; eating until uncomfortably full; eating large amounts when not hungry; eating alone out of embarrassment; or feeling disgusted, depressed or guilty after eating; concern about binge eating; and compulsive overeating without self-induced vomiting or laxative abuse to compensate.
Another eating disorder--bulimia nervosa--is also characterized by compulsive overeating. Sufferers of bulimia nervosa, however, usually compensate by fasting, vomiting, using diuretics or laxatives, or exercising strenuously afterwards.
Complications
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, people with binge eating disorder report more health problems, stress, trouble sleeping, and suicidal thoughts than do people without an eating disorder. Other complications from binge eating disorder could include joint pain, digestive problems, headache, muscle pain, and menstrual problems. If the patient is obese, she is at risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gall bladder disease, heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Treatment
Binge eating disorder may be treated by a mental health provider or clinical social worker. Cognitive behavioral therapy teaches people how to change their unhealthy eating habits and to behavior differently in stressful situations. Interpersonal psychotherapy helps people look at their relationships with friends and family and make changes in problem areas. Drug therapy, such as antidepressants, may be helpful for some people. Weight loss surgery, exercise and self-help resources may also be effective.
References
- National Institutes of Health: Short-Term Treatment for Binge Eaters Breaks New Ground
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Eating Disorders
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Binge Eating Disorder
- American Psychological Association: Binge Eating Disorder--What's the Best Treatment?
