Introduction
Binge eating is an eating disorder where a person feels compelled to overeat on a regular basis.
People who binge eat consume very large quantities of food over a short period of time and they often eat even when they are not hungry. Binges are often planned and can involve the person buying "special binge foods".
Binge eating usually takes place in private with the person feeling that they have no control over their eating. They will often have feelings of guilt or disgust after binge eating. These feelings highlight underlying psychological issues, such as:
- depression feelings of extreme sadness that last for a long time
- anxiety a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can range from mild to severe
Depression and anxiety may be both a cause and an effect of binge eating.
Binge eating is a mental health condition, but it is also triggered by the effect that the binge eating cycle has on the body (see box, below left, for more information about the binge eating cycle).
See Binge eating Causes for more information.
Who is affected by binge eating?
Anyone can be affected by binge eating. Unlike anorexia where more women than men are affected, binge eating affects men and women equally. The condition tends to be more common in older adults than in younger people.
Binge eating and bulimia
People who binge eat and those with bulimia (another type of eating disorder) often eat until they are uncomfortably full. People with bulimia then purge (flush out) the food they have eaten by making themselves vomit or by taking laxatives (medicine to help empty the bowels).
Unlike those with bulimia, people who binge eat do not purge themselves to control their weight. Therefore, binge eating can cause weight gain, which can lead to obesity (see below), which is where a person has too much body fat for their sex and height).
See the Health A-Z topic about Bulimia for more information about the condition.
Binge eating and obesity
Binge eating is often associated with obesity, where someone is very overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or over. Obesity is a serious health problem that can lead to a number of serious chronic (long-term) health conditions such as:
Being obese can also shorten your life expectancy. For example, the life expectancy of obese adults who are over the age of 40 can be shortened by six or seven years.
See Binge eating Symptoms for details of other health conditions that are related to obesity and the Obesity Health A-Z topic.
Outlook
Binge eating is a treatable condition, and a number of different treatment options are available. For example, treatments include:
- a self-help programme
- psychological therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- a type of antidepressant known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
See Binge eating Treatment for more information.
The binge eating cycle
People who binge eat often display a particular pattern of behaviour known as the binge eating cycle. The binge eating cycle (described below) is difficult to break.
- Binge eating leads to a surge in blood sugar which causes the pancreas to produce insulin (a hormone that helps to break down fat and carbohydrate in the body).
- The insulin causes blood sugar levels to fall rapidly, resulting in a false message being sent to the brain that more food is needed to top up glucose levels.
- This results in cravings for sugary foods to provide a quick glucose fix, so the person eats large quantities of food even when they are not hungry.
- Eating large amounts of sugary foods leads to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels and the production of insulin, causing the cycle to begin again.
