Written by: James King
Edited by: Preeti Shaji
There is a widely accepted myth that people are completely in control of their weight at all times. This bears with it a similar myth that people are always in control of their eating behaviors. This, in turn, leads to the blaming and shaming of individuals who engage in unhealthy eating behaviors. One factor that makes an individual up to six times more likely to experience obesity is a diagnosis of Binge Eating Disorder (McCuen-Wurst et al., 2018). While many people might argue that recurrent binge eating is merely an irresponsible choice, this is far from the truth.
Binge eating involves the consumption of excessive amounts of food in a relatively short period of time. Binge eating disorder involves regular episodes of binge eating – at least weekly. The disorder is, in part, characterized by feeling a loss of control over the amount of food one eats and not being able to stop eating even when uncomfortably full (Better Health, 2013). Many people who experience episodes of binge eating feel guilty, disgusted, and ashamed as a result of these episodes. Also common with those who experience binge eating are feelings of severe distress, as well as symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorders. It should be clear that many people with binge eating disorder would choose to be different if they could. Nonetheless, people’s recurrent episodes of binge eating are behaviors that are influenced by much more insidious mechanisms than merely an individual’s choices.
Neuroendocrinological mechanisms that are beyond humans’ conscious awareness are constantly influencing individuals’ eating behaviors. Neuroendocrinological mechanisms that regulate homeostatic and hedonic pathways function differently between individuals and across time and space. The bulk of pertinent studies have found connections between binge eating disorder and numerous endocrine dysfunctions. One example of these endocrine dyfunctions is that of orexigenic signaling, a process through which appetite and capability of food intake are increased by signals such as hypothalamic neuropeptides. Specifically, there is an increase in the circulation rate of neuropeptide Y, a stimulatory regulator of appetite and food intake, from peripheral tissues to the hypothalamus in individuals with binge eating disorder (Baenas et al., 2023). This demonstrates how something outside an individual’s immediate control influences tendencies to engage in binge eating. With that being said, people with binge eating disorder are likely to possess an inflated satiety threshold compared to the average adult. This satiety threshold is always being influenced in multiple ways, and it is prone to exacerbation from stressors.
A complex interaction of factors influences the rapid rates of consumption and the inability to stop eating seen in individuals affected by binge eating. For example, dysfunctions in the prefrontal and limbic circuits decrease an individual’s emotional regulation and self-control, which can lead to overeating out of compulsion. In this process, the initial, immediate and short-lived pleasure that one experiences when eating something that activates hedonic pathways reinforces the anticipation of a positive emotional experience. However, the anticipated positive emotional experience is fleeting, and it is quickly superseded by a more negative emotional shift. When the initial pleasure from eating subsides, cognitive focus shifts back to a broader reality – beyond the act of eating, itself. During binge eating episodes, the act of eating serves to distract individuals from more chronic psychological stressors. The combination of a vulnerable neuropsychological state and the avoidant coping mechanisms associated with stressors results in a significantly increased likelihood of continuance of eating despite feelings of intense fullness during a binge eating episode. This attempt to prolong the initial pleasures of eating ultimately lengthens the period of distress and discomfort that follows binge eating.
Essentially, the level of control over one’s eating habits varies between individuals, and determining an individual’s level of control is not a simple process. Regardless of one’s level of control over their eating habits, those with binge eating disorder are more likely than the rest of the population to have a number of health complications. Some of these complications include but are not limited to: high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, gallbladder disease, and high blood pressure (Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2023). The majority of people with binge eating disorder live with some type of anxiety or depressive disorder (The Recovery Village, 2023). Binge eating disorders are associated with an increased risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. This is largely due to low self-esteem and self-loathing.
So, if the substantial evidence that those who experience binge eating episodes are not fully in control of their behaviors is not enough for people to stop blaming and shaming them, then the respect and compassion necessary in constituting human decency should still be enough of a reason. It is important that we recognize that not everyone who is overweight regularly binge eats; not everyone who regularly binge eats is overweight; and, those who experience episodic binge eating and/or being overweight should not be blamed, shamed, or otherwise stigmatized for their eating behaviors or their weight. We should work to encourage people to feel capable – to feel healthier and happier – to gain more control over their behaviors. If people are convinced that they are always completely in control of their eating and their weight, they are more likely to feel guilt or shame. Withal, this is often coupled with the lack of self-efficacy to gain more control and make healthy behavioral changes. Moreover, a person’s health and well-being should be cared about, but they should also be accepted for who they are and who they want to be. Learning the truth about binge eating disorder can help dispel stigmas about affected individuals so that they can be met with compassion and understanding instead.
References:
Baenas, I., Miranda-Olivos, R., Solé-Morata, N., Jiménez-Murcia, S., & Fernández-Aranda, F. (2023). Neuroendocrinological factors in binge eating disorder: A narrative review. Science Direct Psychoneuroendocrinology, 150. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306453023000082 doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106030
Department of Health & Human Services. (2013, October 1). Binge eating disorder. Better Health Channel. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/binge-eating-disorder
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2023, January 31). Binge Eating Disorder. Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/eating-disorders/binge-eating-disorder
McCuen-Wurst, C., Ruggieri, M., & Allison, K. C. (2018). Disordered eating and obesity: Associations between binge-eating disorder, night-eating syndrome, and weight-related comorbidities. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5788730/
The Recovery Village, Hull, M., & Gutierrez, N. (2023, May 8). Binge Eating Disorder Facts and Statistics. The Recovery Village. https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/mental-health/binge-eating/binge-eating-statistics/
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