Binge eating is characterized by out of control and guilt; understand

Repeating a tasty meal, not resisting a sweet treat after lunch, or even having trouble stopping soda doesn’t always signify compulsive eating behavior. Ingesting large amounts of food in a short time and without being able to stop, however, is already a warning sign.

BED (Compulsive Eating Disorder) is characterized by the association between lack of control followed by a feeling of guilt after the episode, points out Glaucia Carneiro, associate professor of endocrinology and head of the obesity sector at Unifesp (Federal University of São Paulo). ).

“Many times people have binge eating and do not know how to characterize it very well and, therefore, do not seek help”, he says. “It’s not just that I eat it because it tastes good and then I’ll repeat it.”

Some indicators of a real problem are quickly eating large amounts even when you are not hungry, eating food until you feel uncomfortable, and feeling depressed or guilty after eating.

Worry really begins, however, when binge urges that were once sporadic occur more frequently and for a longer duration. “When it starts to happen at least once a week in the last three months, it’s time to worry and seek treatment”, says Carneiro.

The disorder is also not associated with compensatory behaviors, as is the case with bulimia nervosa and anorexia, in which the patient induces vomiting or goes for long periods without eating.

Endocrinologist Maria Edna de Mel, president of the obesity department at SBEM (Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabology) points out that there are defined criteria for the diagnosis of TCA.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, known as the DSM-5🇧🇷 classifies binge eating into up to four stages: mild, moderate, severe and extreme.

“Moderate, severe and extreme cases should receive treatment. This involves the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy and it is essential that professionals – psychologists, nutritionists and doctors – have experience with TCA so as not to harm patients and worsen the condition. it’s just medication that can generate side effects”, says Melo.

Stopping binge eating also means eating better. According to Fábio Salzano, vice-coordinator of the Eating Disorders Program at the IPQ (Psychiatry Institute) at the Hospital das Clínicas de São Paulo, it is important to avoid a restrictive diet to reestablish an adequate nutritional standard.

“Restriction can generate compulsion again. It’s a medical issue, it’s not a character flaw or lack of will on the part of those who suffer from the problem,” says Salzano.

BED is a multifactorial disorder, which causes treatment time to vary between patients. It can be triggered by biological aspects such as changes in brain transmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, or by genetic factors. It also happens for psychological and sociocultural motivations, such as the search for an ideal of beauty that is incompatible with the physical type, stigmas about weight or family problems.

Glaucia Carneiro points out that the pathology can also cause metabolic changes in blood glucose, cholesterol and pressure, in addition to increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. “Certainly the individual ingests more calories than he spends in these binge episodes and this generates weight gain”, she points out.

A study published in the journal Nature in March of this year by specialists in psychiatry and nutrition points out that TCA, despite being more diagnosed in obese people, does not affect only those who meet this criterion.

The publication, called “Binge eating disorder”, estimates that between 2018 and 2020, BED reached from 0.6% to 1.8% of adult women and from 0.3% to 0. .7% of adult men.

The article reinforces that the first medical objective in these cases should be the end of binge eating in patients. “Weight loss treatment can be offered to those who are able to abstain from binge eating,” the researchers say.

Another study published in the International Journal of Obesity, also by the Nature Group, points out that BED is prevalent among individuals seeking treatment for weight loss and that in almost half of those obese with the disorder, the onset of binge eating is prior to obesity.