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Binge eating

Food is important for growth and development, but we do not always eat to satisfy our hunger. Most of us overeat from time to time, and we may feel bloated or excessively full as a result. Occasional over-indulgence does not constitute an eating disorder, and binge eating has only recently been recognised as an eating disorder in its own right.

Binge eating is characterised by a sense of having lost control over eating. People with the disorder may find themselves eating large quantities of food even when not hungry, usually in a short period of time. This is accompanied by feelings of guilt or disgust at the perceptionof having consumed so much. The self-loathing binge eaters feel when they overeat highlights underlying psychological issues, that are often both a cause and an effect of the disorder.

Binge eaters often eat until they are uncomfortably full. In this sense, the disorder is similar to bulimia nervosa, another eating disorder in which large quantities of food are consumed rapidly. However, bulimics then ‘purge’ the food they have eaten through self-induced vomiting or by taking laxatives. People who binge eat do not purge themselves, and feel ashamed of their behaviour whether overweight or not.

Binge eating is a mental disorder, but it is also triggered by the effect that overeating has on the body. Binge eating causes a surge of blood glucose, which stimulates the pancreas into producing insulin - a hormone naturally produced by the body to regulate the amount of glucose in the blood. This means that after the initial ‘high’, blood sugar levels actually fall rapidly, which sends a false message to the brain that we need more food in order to top up glucose levels. Cravings for sugary foods that will provide a quick glucose ‘fix’ continue, and binge eaters may therefore consume large quantities of food even when not hungry.

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