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Link Between Eating Disorders and Obesity
By Stefanie Hamilton
The phrase "eating disorders" often conjures up images of ultra-thin girls with sunken cheeks and fallow eyes.
But eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder afflict men and women of all shapes and sizes. Furthermore, not all eating disorders cause extreme weight loss. Some, like binge eating disorder, can actually cause sufferers to gain weight. For this reason and others, the link between eating disorders and obesity is stronger than many realize.
About Binge Eating Disorder
The Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital defines binge eating disorder as "a disorder that resembles bulimia nervosa and is characterized by episodes of uncontrolled eating (or bingeing). It differs from bulimia, however, because sufferers do not purge their bodies of the excess food."
- Binge eaters typically binge in secret. As with most disorder sufferers, binge eaters feel ashamed and embarrassed about their disorder, though they may not recognize it as a disorder at all.
- Many binge eaters attribute their binges to a lack of discipline or willpower. Because they only binge, and don't purge like people who have bulimia, binge eaters are more likely to be overweight or obese.
- Well-meaning loved ones may urge them go to on a diet, or eat less junk food, not realizing that the problem is much more complicated.
Causes & Effects of Binge Eating Disorder
For young people who struggle with binge eating disorder, the root causes of their overweight often go untreated. Our health-and-beauty-obsessed culture simply imposes eating restrictions and exercise requirements -- assuming nothing more is needed.
The risk here is that the disordered eating which led to weight gain could simply transform into disordered eating that causes dramatic, and even dangerous, weight loss.
What many well-intentioned people don't realize is that, while eating disorders vary, the triggers and underlying causes are often the same. A poor self-image and desire to feel "in control" can manifest as anorexia or binge eating disorder.
The Healthy Way to a Healthy Weight
Prior to handing diet and exercise plans out to those who are overweight or obese, we need first to understand the nature of the weight problem. The ultimate goal is to help your loved one be healthy, and that goal may require a strategy that takes into account self-esteem, behavioral and/or emotional issues, and coping mechanisms.
Rather than jumping to conclusions about an overweight or obese friend or family member, and assuming we know the best way to help, we need to take time and educate ourselves about eating disorders of all types -- including binge eating.
We need to understand the root causes, and how best to address them.
And we need to willingly admit that we are neither experts nor professionals, and that we may need to seek help from someone who is.
