Women Who Can’t Stop Overeating

Getting to the bottom of binge eating disorder.

by Stacey Colino

We all overeat from time to time — whether it’s because that second helping of luscious chocolate cake is simply irresistible or because we physically cannot remove our hand from that potato chip bag when we’re stressed. But overindulging on a regular basis isn’t just a surefire way to pack on unwanted pounds — it may be a sign of a serious problem, one that experts have dubbed “binge eating disorder,” or BED.

When Bingeing Gets Out of Control

Aside from your clothes starting to feel uncomfortably snug, how can you tell when overeating has become a bona fide problem? According to experts, the number on the scale is not always a reliable indicator. Rather, there are a slew of behaviors that suggest BED, including the inability to control eating; consuming large amounts even when you’re not hungry; persistently eating until you’re uncomfortably full; or pigging out and then feeling guilty. And, experts say, these behaviors must occur at least twice a week for six months at a time to qualify as a disorder.

“Basically, [BED] is a pattern of persistent binge eating, of ingesting a large amount of food within a short period of time. It’s a loss of control over eating,” explains Marsha Marcus, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and a former president of the Academy for Eating Disorders. In other words, it’s like having bulimia, but without the subsequent purging (either by vomiting, using laxatives or doing strenuous exercise) to compensate for what you’ve eaten.

A Little-Known Eating Disorder

By some estimates, up to 40% of people who are obese and 2% of the overall U.S. population may have binge eating disorder, and yet this condition is considerably less known than its more famous cousin disorders — anorexia and bulimia. Who’s vulnerable? People with a personal or family history of obesity or another eating disorder, or those who are chronic or yo-yo dieters. And though bingeing is more common in women than in men, men are more likely to suffer from this condition than from anorexia and bulimia.

A Stress Response?

About half of women with BED suffer from depression. “Bingeing may be emotionally triggered,” notes Melanie Katzman, Ph.D., a clinical assistant professor of psychology at Weill Medical College of Cornell Medical Center in New York City. “It’s often a response to stress, tension and an inability to talk about one’s feelings.”

Fortunately, there are effective ways to beat bingeing. Cognitive-behavioral therapy — in which people learn to become aware of and change the way they respond to stressful situations — can be effective. So can psychotherapy. In some instances, medications, such as antidepressants, may help, too. The bottom line: If your eating is out of control, don’t beat yourself up. Get help.