Obesity and Binge Eating Disorder
A lot of times people do not realize that obesity is the sign of an eating disorder. Our society looks at those who are larger than most as lazy, pathetic, and so on. This is not the case by any means. Obesity is becoming an "epidemic" because Binge Eating Disorder is getting out of hand. "Also, BED seems to be more prevalent as the degree of obesity increases" (Dingemans & Furth 135). Furthermore, Binge Eating Disorder is essentially equated with obesity. Unfortunately as far as treatment goes, those who have Binge Eating Disorder tend to not seek help. People tend to seek treatment when their Binge Eating Disorder leads to obesity and at that point it is harder to treat (Dingemans & Furth 137). More visibility given to the fact that obesity is an eating disorder would help combat these issues. If one could possibly realize their symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder before it gets out of hand and becomes part of the obese category, there can be more hope for these individuals. |
Psychological Associations
There are many psychological factors as to why a person becomes susceptible to the disease of Binge Eating Disorder. "An impaired ability to delay gratification and a reduced inhibitory control or lack of effortful control seem to be plausible explanations for binge eating" (Claes, et al. e91). Depression is another factor that leads one to the disease of Binge Eating Disorder. The lack of self-control also plays a significant role in the disease. In our fast-paced world one would not be surprised that the rate of Binge Eating Disorder behaviors has been on the rise. Moreover, there is a lot of denial that goes into Binge Eating Disorder. Oftentimes people hide their disease by hoarding food inside of their bedrooms if they live with other people because they feel shameful about what they are doing. "Comfort Food" as an American Epidemic There is this notion that we have "comfort foods" in America. The majority (if not entirely) of comfort foods are heavy foods loaded with saturated fats and cholesterol. People often hear their parents or friends telling them when they're down to eat some "comfort food" to make them feel better. The concept of encouraging the consumption of "comfort food" to ease stress can create Binge Eating Disorder because psychologically, one subconsciously equates eating heavy foods with happiness and stress-relief. The fact that the kind of food has the word "comfort" in front of it is also problematic in itself. As a society we need to watch the language we use because of the fact that we never know what people are dealing with around us. |
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