THE binge eating is one of eating disorders most common and is characterized by exaggerated and uncontrolled intake of food in a short period of time, even when the person is not hungry. This behavior occurs recurrently and is always followed by a feeling of guilt and loss of control over the act of eating, affecting the individual’s quality of life.
According to experts, this disorder is the result of a combination of biological, psychological and social factors.
“Emotional imbalance can generate binge eating, as the relationship with food is directly linked to our emotions. Binge eating compromises the individual’s physical, mental and psychosocial health, thus potentially generating comorbidities such as depression and anxiety”, explains psychologist Eduarda Alves.
Some of the main causes of binge eating are:
- Emotional imbalances: Stress, anxiety and depression are factors that often lead people to seek comfort in food. Eating large amounts of food can provide momentary relief from these negative feelings, creating a vicious cycle;
- Restrictive diets: going on very restrictive diets can lead to episodes of lack of control and compulsion;
- Social pressure: Charges related to image, body and beauty standards can increase the risk of disordered eating behaviors.
“Eating behavior and environment, when distorted, play a relevant role in binge eating. Having the availability of ultra-processed and hyper-palatable foods encourages eating beyond hunger”, adds nutritionist Yuri Matsuoka.
Symptoms of binge eating
To be considered a binge eating disorder, these episodes of uncontrolled eating must occur several times a week or even daily, generating a significant impact on health.
Among the most common symptoms of binge eating are:
- Eating large amounts of food until you feel uncomfortable or unwell;
- Do not refuse any opportunity to eat;
- Continue eating even when you are satisfied or not hungry;
- Preference for eating away from other people or hidden out of shame;
- Feeling emotionally unwell after the binge episode;
- Lack of control over what or how much you are eating;
- Eating whenever you are emotionally unstable.
Identifying binge eating as soon as possible is important to avoid complications such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, in addition to preventing impacts on mental health, such as low self-esteem and worsening of psychological disorders.
The first step is to seek professional help to regain control over your diet and improve your quality of life. Treatment is multidisciplinary and involves mental health and nutrition professionals.
“The psychology professional is one of the great allies in the treatment of binge eating, carrying out psychotherapy and helping the patient to develop emotional regulation skills to understand when hunger is a physiological need or is just an attempt to alleviate emotional discomfort” , adds the psychologist.
Some approaches include:
- Nutritional education: the nutritionist can guide the patient about balanced food choices, avoiding restrictive diets;
- Structuring meals: create an eating routine with planned meals and snacks, avoiding long periods of fasting;
- Mindful eating: This approach focuses on eating mindfully, noticing signs of hunger and satiety, in addition to working on the emotional aspects involved in the act of eating;
- Behavioral therapy: seeks to identify and deal with emotional triggers associated with eating;
- Supplementation: In some cases, supplementation with nutrients such as tryptophan, omega-3 or probiotics can be evaluated as part of an integrative strategy.
This content was originally published in What is binge eating and how to treat it: causes, symptoms and approaches on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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