Is Compulsive Eating the Cause of America’s Weight Problem?

Within the United States, there are an alarming number of obesity cases in both adults and children being reported.  This surge in obesity has lead many experts to question whether or not compulsive eating and binge eating disorders play a particular role in the country’s obesity issue.  By 2009 the Centers for Disease Control reported that some states had as much as 30 percent of their residents suffering from obesity.  The United States has the highest number of obesity sufferers within the entire world and about 74 percent of adults are considered overweight.  So what does this mean when it comes to compulsive eating?

Symptoms of Compulsive Eating

When an individual suffers from compulsive eating or binge eating, they are often consumed by food.  That means that when food is around (or even when it is not) they are constantly thinking about eating.  Many of these individuals will eat more when they are stressed or depressed and often compulsive eating begins as a way to manage emotions in general.  Most individuals that suffer from compulsive eating will also suffer from excessive weight gain, though not every sufferer actually becomes obese.

United States Statistics

Within the United States about two percent of adults (or 4 million Americans) suffer from some form of a compulsive eating disorder.  Though many of these individuals are able to control their compulsion and even lose weight, this disorder still affects them.  There appears to be no difference between races, however women do appear to be more prone to obesity than men.

The Cause of Compulsive Eating

There is no firm research or proof that can say one way or the other what causes a compulsive eating disorder.  However, some theories have shown that the chemical release within the brain when an individual satisfies their compulsion can be to blame and there are some that believe it is strictly psychological.  Some researchers feel that binge eating is the result of individuals being on diets, while others feel that individuals are predisposed to be compulsive eaters. 

Dieting and Compulsive Eating

Some researchers have theorized that when an individual goes on a diet they are forcing their body and minds to become obsessed with eating.  Since individuals that are on diets will typically refrain from foods they enjoy and even sacrifice foods that taste good for things like protein shakes, meal bars and bland foods.  These behaviors will often make an individual crave food and even sweets more than they ever have before simply because their body and mind desire that satisfaction.

Though there is no apparent cause for compulsive eating there is one factor that is for certain.  When an individual consumes more food than they should, they ultimately gain weight.  This weight gain can eventually lead an individual to become obese.  With obesity there are more health risks than simply being overweight.  Individuals that suffer from obesity are prone to diabetes and heart disease versus an individual that is within their proper weight.