Binge Eating Disorder Symptoms

Binge eating disorder is estimated to affect between 2 percent and 5 percent of Americans experience according to community surveys. Symptoms of binge eating include:

Recurrent episodes of binge eating, characterized by eating an excessive amount of food within a discrete period of time and by a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode.

The binge eating episodes are associated with at least 3 of the following: eating much more rapidly than normal; eating until feeling uncomfortably full; eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry; eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating; feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty after overeating.

Marked distress about the eating behavior.

The binge eating occurs, on average, at least 2 days a week for 6 months.

The binge eating is not associated with the regular use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors (e.g., purging, fasting, excessive exercise).

People with this disorder experience frequent episodes of out-of-control eating, with the same binge-eating symptoms as those with bulimia.

The main difference is that individuals do not purge their bodies of excess calories.

Therefore, many with the disorder are overweight for their age and height. Feelings of self-disgust and shame associated with this illness can lead to bingeing again, creating a cycle of binge eating.

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