Binge eating

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• Y

Binge eating is an eating disorder characterized by eating more than a person needs d to satisfy hunger. It is a feature of bulimia, a disorder that also includes abnormal perception of body image, constant craving for food and binge eating, followed by self-induced vomiting or laxative use.

Eating - binge

Bulimia is most common among adolescents or young adults, usually female. People with bulimia typically consume large quantities of easily ingested high-calorie foods, usually in secrecy. Binge eating is usually followed by self-induced vomiting and accompanied by feelings of guilt or depression.

Complications resulting from prolonged bulimia include gastric dilatation, pancreatitis, dental decay, pharyngitis, esophagitis, pulmonary (lung) aspiration, and electrolyte abnormalities. Constipation and hemorrhoids are also common in bulimics.

Although death from bulimia is rare, the long-term outcome in severe bulimia can be worse than the outcome in anorexia nervosa, which suggests that the psychiatric disorder that causes bulimia is usually more severe.

• Bulimia (while this disorder often begins during or after strict dieting, and may be caused by stress related to insufficient food intake, its cause remains unknown.)

Review Date: 05/12/2006
Reviewed By: Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP, Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.