Currently, the United States has the biggest population of obese people. Statistics show that the U.S has 13% of the world’s overweight populace. Worse, about 30% of Americans are either overweight or obese. It may surprise you, and you may be asking why this is the case among Americans. Well, many factors are contributing to this. But obviously, one of which is binge eating which is prevalent among Americans.
To note, binge eating is the most common eating disorder in the United States. According to NEDA, 2.8 million U.S adults have binge eating disorders. This surpasses the number of people with bulimia and anorexia combined. And this can only mean so many people you see on a day-to-day basis are battling binge eating. But then again, not so many people are open about it.
Needless to say, the effects of binge eating are detrimental to the body. Being overweight and obese is top of that list. It’s no accident that heart disease is the #1 killer disease in America, taking over 600,000 lives yearly. If that has you flabbergasted, learn more of the not-so-hidden dangers of binge eating.
Weight Gain
It’s a natural phenomenon. The more food you eat, the more weight you gain. So naturally, most binge eaters gain a lot of weight. And truth be told, most people that binge eat are either overweight or obese.
According to statistics, about two-thirds of binge eaters are overweight. And the truth is nothing good comes with being overweight. Many other health conditions are linked to being overweight. To boot, binge eaters are more at risk of developing health problems: heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis. And that’s just for starters.
Another interesting twist to this is that some binge eaters purge after eating so much. This is because they have anorexia nervosa or the exaggerated fear of gaining weight. Don’t be surprised. There are usually overlaps of eating disorders in people.
In this case, it is essential to handle both disorders separately. A good start is to get in touch with an anorexia treatment center. Indeed, it’s possible for people who fear gaining weight to binge eat from time to time. Also, going for therapy for binge eating is necessary. Thankfully, some facilities help with treating both. This means you’d save time getting treatment from a single facility.
Type 2 Diabetes
For a binge eater, there is an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is because of increased weight gain. This disorder comes with a disturbance in a person’s glucose metabolism. Why? With binge eating, there is an uncontrollable eating pattern for about two hours daily. This is the primary cause of the distortion in metabolism.
With this, it becomes very problematic for the body to utilize glucose properly. This leads to increased blood glucose resulting in a debilitating type 2 diabetes disease.
Heart Disease
The number 1 killer in America is heart disease. As aforementioned, it takes over half a million people yearly. And one of the many causes of heart disease is binge eating. There are two main reasons why.
First, there is an increased risk of obesity in binge eaters. And being overweight ultimately leads to an increased risk of developing heart disease. Another reason is the accumulation of unhealthy foods: fried foods, chips, sweets, and other junk foods. This affects the heart because there is an accumulation of unhealthy substances in the food we eat: sugar, trans fat, and sodium.
Gallbladder Diseases
Another health condition that binge eating disorder can cause is gallbladder disease. It’s true. Gallstone disorders have been found common in binge eaters. Gallstones form when bile turns hard. When this results, it blocks the flow of bile. This causes pain in the upper region of the abdomen and also nausea and vomiting.
Depression and Emotional Disturbances
You’ll be surprised to find out that binge eating affects a person’s mental health. Many people suffering from binge eating often have to deal with emotional disturbances and even depression.
People that binge eats usually start with the desire to feel good. But after a while of eating, they feel guilty about doing it. When this happens, they want to go back to eating to feel good. And then the vicious cycle of feeling guilty begins again.
Many can’t control how they feel after a while of binge eating. Weight gain leads to depression. There is anxiousness because of the fear of what people will say. This causes emotional instability for many.
This is why early identification of binge eating is very crucial. If you suspect that you are a binge eater, there is nothing to be scared about. As long as you seek professional help, you will be fine. And remember that there are millions of people going through this as well. Many have overcome it, and with a little prayer, so can you.
