What are the long-term effects of binge eating disorder?
Binge eating disorder (BED) is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating. Binge eating episodes are associated with feelings of shame, disgust, or guilt. After a binge, people with BED often try to “compensate” by fasting, purging, or excessive exercise. Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the United States.
Binge eating disorder can have a number of negative long-term effects. These effects can include physical health problems, mental health problems, and social and interpersonal problems.
Physical health problems associated with binge eating disorder include obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. People with BED are also at increased risk for gastrointestinal problems, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Mental health problems associated with binge eating disorder include depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Binge eating disorder can also lead to social isolation and relationship problems.
People with binge eating disorder are more likely to be obese than people without BED. Obesity can lead to a number of health problems, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. People who are obese are also at increased risk for certain types of cancer, such as endometrial cancer and postmenopausal breast cancer.
Binge eating disorder can also have an effect on social and interpersonal relationships. People with BED may avoid social activities and isolate themselves from friends and family. They may also have difficulty forming and maintaining intimate relationships.
If you or someone you know is struggling with binge eating disorder, there are a number of resources available to help. Therapists who specialize in eating disorders can help people identify the thoughts and behaviors that contribute to their disorder. They can also provide guidance on how to make healthy changes. Treatment for binge eating disorder may include individual therapy, group therapy, and/or medication..More information
How is binge eating disorder diagnosed?
Binge eating disorder (BED) is diagnosed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). The DSM-5 is the guide used by mental health professionals in the United States to diagnose mental disorders. To be diagnosed with BED, a person must meet the following criteria:
1. recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following:
-eating, in a discrete period of time (e.g., within any 2-hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than what most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances
-a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g., a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating)
2. binge eating episodes are associated with three (or more) of the following:
-eating much more rapidly than usual
-eating until feeling uncomfortably full
-eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry
-eating alone because of feeling embarrassed by how much one is eating
-feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty afterward
3. Marked distress regarding binge eating is present.
4. The binge eating occurs, on average, at least once a week for 3 months.
5. The binge eating is not associated with the recurrent use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors (e.g., purging) as in bulimia nervosa and does not occur exclusively during the course of bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa.
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