Binge-eating disorder is the number one eating disorder in America

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According the National Institutes of Health’s Weight-control Information Network (WIN), “Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder. It affects about 3 percent of all adults in the United States.” Binge-eating is also called “compulsive overeating.”

WIN also says that “people with this problem are usually overweight or obese. Binge-eating disorder is more common in people who are severely obese.” Symptoms of binge-eating disorder are:

• -- Eat until they are uncomfortably full.
• -- Eat large amounts of food even when they are not really hungry.
• -- Eat much more quickly than usual during binge episodes.
• -- Eat alone because they are embarrassed about the amount of food they eat.
• -- Feel disgusted, depressed, or guilty after overeating.

The Mayo Clinic’s binge-eating disorder page says that although you may feel guilty during or after a binge, “you feel such a compulsion that you can't resist the urges and continue binge eating.” A binge-eating episode may last hours or days, and include consumption of “10,000 to 20,000 calories.”

The Mayo Clinic’s list of signs to watch for include hoarding food, hiding empty food containers, frequently eating alone, and feelings of anxiety, depression, or disgust about your binge-eating.

As a condition that is fairly new to researchers, no known cause for binge-eating disorder exists. Nearly half of all those diagnosed with the disorder also suffer from depression. WIN adds that “whether depression causes binge-eating disorder, or whether binge-eating disorder causes depression, is not known.”

In its search for a cause, the Mayo Clinic says “As with many mental illnesses, it's thought that a variety of factors are at play in binge-eating disorder.” They believe these will include biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.

“Research has shown that people with binge eating disorder report more health problems, stress, trouble sleeping, and suicidal thoughts than do people without an eating disorder,” according to WIN. A hidden sign of the disorder is when people miss school, work, or social activities such as church so that they can be alone in order to binge.

Since most of those suffering from binge-eating disorder are obese, they run the health risks that go along with that condition. Those health risks include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleeping disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, heart disease and various types of cancer.

Those exhibiting symptoms of binge-eating disorder need to seek medical attention. The National Eating Disorders Association says that those with binge-eating disorder exhibit “extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues.” They also characterize the condition as “severe” and “life threatening.”