Overeating

                                                           Overeating 

     Overeating is the excess food consumed in relation to the energy that an organism expends, leading to weight gaining and often obesity. It may be regarded as an eating disorder. This may also be used to refer to specific episodes of over-consumption. Compulsive over-eaters depend on food to comfort themselves when they are stressed, suffering bouts of depression, and have feelings of helplessness. In a broader sense, hyperalimentation includes excessive food administration through other means than eating. 

How overeating can be an addiction:

  Overeating is a common problem. It can lead to numerous other problems, ranging from heartburn in the short term to obesity in the long term. It has also been found to be associated with many GI symptoms, including abdominal pain, particularly in the upper gastrointestinal tract, bloating, and diarrhea. Eating too much one time won't cause obesity, but it may cause discomfort, pain, and interference with sleep. 

  So over a longer period of time, overeating on a regular basis, without adequate exercise can lead to obesity. 

 When we eat foods we enjoy, the body releases dopamine, which is associated with feelings of pleasure or reward, and it encourages us to eat even more. So even if overeating causes pain and discomfort, we may feel compelled to continue overeating. 

Symptoms:

 Most people with binge-eating disorder are overweight or obese, but you may be at a normal weight. Behavioral and emotional signs and symptoms of binge-eating disorder include: 

. Eating unusually large amounts of food in a specific amount of time, such as over two hours period.

. Feeling that your eating behavior is out of control.

. Eating even when you're full or not hungry. 

. Eating rapidly during binge episodes.

. Eating until you're uncomfortably full.

. Frequently eating or in secret. 

. Feeling depressed, disgusted, ashamed, guilty, or upset about your eating. 

. Frequently dieting, possibly without weight loss.

 Unlike a person with bulimia, after a binge, you don't regularly compensate for extra calories eaten by vomiting, using laxatives pr exercising excessively. You may try to diet or eat normal meals, but restricting your diet may simply lead to more binge eating. 

Causes:

    The causes of binge-eating disorder are unknown, but genetics, biological factors, long-term dieting, and psychological issues increase your risk. 

Risk factors: 

    Binge-eating disorder is more common in women than in men. Although people of any age can have binge-eating disorder, it often beings in the late teens or early 20s.

 Factors that can increase your risk of developing binge-eating disorder include:  

. Family history:   

   You're much more likely to have an eating disorder if your parents or sibling have an eating disorder. This may indicate that inherited genes increase the risk of developing an eating disorder.

. Dieting:

    Many people with binge-eating disorder have a history of dieting. Dieting or restricting calories during the day may trigger an urge to binge eat, especially if you have symptoms of depression.   

 .Psychological issues:

   Many people who have binge-eating disorder feel negative about themselves and their skills and accomplishments. Triggers for bingeing can include stress, poor body self0image, and availability of preferred binge foods. 

Complications: 

  You may develop psychological and physical problems related to binge eating. 

Complications that may be caused by binge-eating disorder include:

 

. Poor quality of life

. Problems functioning at work, with your personal life, or in social situations

. Social isolation

. Obesity

. Medical conditions related to obesity, such as joint problems, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and some sleep-related breathing disorders. 

Psychiatric disorders that are often linked with the binge-eating disorder include:

 - Depression

- Bipolar disorder

- Anxiety

- Substance use disorders 

Binge eating:

  Binge eating involves consuming a large amount of food in a short space of time. Binges, by definition, require you to eat more food than people normally do, and more food than you need. 

Overeating from supersize meal portions: 

  Supersize meal portion is commonly the extra portions of fast food meal servings where the food portion you buy is much larger than a normal meal portion. Supersize meal portions are heavily marked. 

Stress eating: 

    Stress eating, although closely related to emotional eating, is more heavily driven by anxiety rather than depression, and maybe a way of fueling overwork when the time is not taken for adequate breaks or meals. 

Sugar addiction:

       Sweet, sugary food is particularly addictive to many people. Some overeaters binge on confectionary or other sweet foods, with chocolate having a particular allure. 

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