Binge eating an abnormal eating pattern in which
an individual eats significantly more food in a limited
time than most people typically would eat. The timeframe
for a binge is usually 1–2 hours.
The eating disorders anorexia nervosa and bulimia
nervosa are considered psychiatric disorders and
have formal diagnostic criteria that are define in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders
Fourth Edition-Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR)
published by the American Psychiatric Association
(APA). Binge eating is an acknowledged problem,
but it has not risen to the level a separate psychiatric
disorder as defined by the APA. Some experts believe
binge eating is a subtype of bulimia, an eating disorder
characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by
purging the body of calories.
Other experts believe
that binge eating should be classified as an obesityrelated
behavior. Some healthcare providers place
binge-eating disorder in the APA category of eating
disorders not otherwise specified. Although the way a
healthcare professional views binge eating does not
change the behavior, it may influence the type of
therapy recommended and affect the degree to which
treatment is covered by heath insurance providers.
Everyone eats too much occasionally, but people
with binge-eaters disorder have an abnormal eating
pattern that occurs frequently. Many eating disorder
specialists define binge-eating disorder as binge eating
behavior that occurs at least twice a week for three
months and has a negative effect on the individual’s
relationships and daily activities.
Binge eaters exhibit many of the following
behaviors.
-They eat abnormally large amounts of food at one
sitting, often consuming 3,000–10,000 calories in a
short period.
-They gobble their food, eating much faster than usual.
-During a binge, they feel out of control and unable to
stop eating, even though they may want to.
-Despite feeling full or even painfully uncomfortable,
they continue to eat.
-Binge eaters tend to diet constantly but never lose
weight.
-Then often eat alone and hide empty food containers
to disguise from others how much they eat.
-They are ashamed and embarrassed about their
bingeing.
-Food hoarding is common.
-After a binge, they feel guilty, upset, disgusted and/or
depressed about how much they have eaten.
-They vow to themselves never to binge again, but
cannot keep this promise.
Binge-eating disorder is different from bulimia.
The two disorders are similar in their bingeing behavior,
but people with bulimia follow a binge by purging
the body of calories. They do this by some combination
of self-induced vomiting, laxative, diuretic, or
enema abuse, fasting, and compulsive exercising
beyond reasonable levels. People with binge-eating
disorder do nothing to purge the body of the extra
calories they have eaten, although they often try to diet
between binges.
Many people who are bulimic also have anorexic behaviors. There is no overlap between
binge-eating disorder and anorexia. Most people who
have binge-eating disorder are obese, but not all obese
people have binge eating behaviors.
