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BET YOU CAN’T EAT JUST ONE
by Lindsey Paparello, Staff Writer
Many people believe
that there are only two eating disorders, Anorexia Nervosa and
Bulimia. Alas, there is another: binging, also known as Binge Eating
Disorder (BED). This disorder is just as dangerous as the others.
People who have binge-eating disorder binge like
bulimics do, but they do not purge, or get rid of the food,
afterwards. They may purge occasionally, perhaps as often as once a
week, but not regularly or frequently. Unlike bulimia, where a binge
is usually a discrete episode, people who have binge-eating disorder
often binge continuously. Some people continuously eat large amounts
of food throughout the entire day. In order to be diagnosed as an
eating disorder, the binges have to occur fairly regularly and
often.
Binge-eating disorder usually begins during the late
teens or early twenties. Women are one and a half times more likely
to have binge-eating disorder than men. Most people with the
disorder are overweight and have a history of dieting. Studies show
that anywhere from fifteen percent to fifty percent of people in
weight-control programs have binge-eating disorder.
As with bulimia, a binge is characterized by eating
very rapidly; eating until feeling uncomfortably stuffed; eating
large amounts of food without being physically hungry; eating alone;
being embarrassed by the amount of food being eaten; and feeling
ashamed, disgusted, or guilty about overeating. This is very similar
to the effects on people during substance abuse. There are many ways
to see if someone has BED. Doctors will often do a physical check up
such as weight and body mass index; they will also do lab tests to
check vital status and do a blood check up. A very important part of
the doctors check ups is the psychological aspect. Doctors will
notice the attitude towards food and oneself.
Many people with binge-eating disorder are disgusted
with their bodies, have feelings of self-loathing, and experience
depression or anxiety. They often suffer from concurrent major
depressive disorder, substance-related disorders, and/or personality
disorders.
Binge eating disorder has many symptoms, just like
Anorexia and Bulimia. These include diabetes, high blood pressure,
high cholesterol levels, gallbladder disease, heart disease, and
certain types of cancer.
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