Or do you know someone with Binge Eating Disorder? First, let’s find out what BED actually is.
Binge Eating Disorder is characterized by a loss of control over eating behaviors. The binge eater consumes unnaturally large amounts of food in short periods of time. But unlike those with bulimia, binge eaters do not regularly engage in any inappropriate weight-reducing behavior (excessive exercising, taking laxatives, or inducing vomiting).
Binge eaters are often overweight for obvious reasons. But exact numbers of affected people are not known due to the secretive nature of the ailment.
These, according to bingeeatingdisorder.com, are telltale signs to look for in yourself or others:
∙ Regularly eating far more food than most adults would in a similar time period and in similar circumstances, and feeling that one’s eating is out of control
∙ Indulging in binge eating at least once a week for three months.
∙ Episodes that include three of the following:
- Eating extremely fast
- Eating beyond feeling full
- Eating a lot when not hungry
- Eating in secret to hide how much is being eaten
- Feeling terrible after a binge
Speak to your doctor if this information hits close to home. Your doctor is there to help. Not judge.
--Sarah Hagerty
