Objective and Subjective Binge Eating

An objective binge consists of  as much as 20,000 calories in one episode (which may last from minutes to  many hours) or huge amounts of low calorie foods, such as 6 heads of lettuce with no fat butter.  Binges generally have a function or serve a purpose such as procrastination, avoidance, or relieving anxiety and boredom.  The binge is usually thought out and requires a block of time and privacy.

A subjective binge is the intake of normal foods in normal amounts that the individual feels uncomfortable eating.  The person may feel uncomfortable because it contained a taboo such as fat, sugar or carbs.  Or it may have been “healthy” but they ate too much.  The most common reason for a purge is that the individual feels too full.  Research shows that Bulimic’s and Bulimarxics are unusually sensitive to the sense of fullness.

Situational Binge Triggers:

Meal Preparation, a person with an eating disorder can often be triggered into a binge by preparing a meal, as they are preparing the food they will begin to nibble on the ingredients used to prepare the meal.  The amount of food they consume during the preparation of the meal can be as much as the meal itself, the result is consuming twice as much food as intended.  This may lead to purging, depending on the type of eating disorder.

Dining out with a Group, this is usually very difficult for a person with an eating disorder.  The person with the eating disorder will usually consume an appropriate amount of  “healthy” food while those around them are eating “taboo” foods.  This often angers the person with the eating disorder and can lead the person to binge on those “taboo” foods when they get home in private.

DID YOU KNOW?

According to Dr. Norton’s online survey, in which over 130 people responded, over half of those that binge often find themselves fantasizing about foods to binge on while grocery shopping.

Occurrence by Eating Disorder

* Bulimarexia – 57.1%

* Bulimia – 53.3%

* Emotional Eaters – 53.3%

1.  It can help create healthy habits. On average children age 8 – 18 spend 3 hours a day either watching t.v., playing video games or on the computer.  The responsibility of a household chore would get them away from the t.v. and up and moving.  Vacuuming, mopping, mowing the lawn and gardening are all good ways to increase your heart rate.  Children need at least 90 minutes of moderate to strenuous physical activity a day, chores are a great way to get your child moving.

2.  It can help reduce stress and family tension. A messy, cluttered house can cause a lot of tension and resentment within a family.  Often parents just complain or yell at their children for not helping.  This can create feelings of failure and anger for both the parent and the child.  A sedentary lifestyle combined with feelings of shame, failure and anger can lead into emotional eating habits.

3.  Allows parents more time to spend with their children. Why should parents spend their evenings and weekends doing all the housework?  When the kids pitch in the work could be done in half the time.  This time could be used to go for a family bike ride, walk or maybe even a game of chase or hide and seek.  Remember ” a family that plays together stays together”.

The prevelance of childhood obesity in the United States is increasing at an alarming rate.  According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the percentage of overweight children 2-5 years of age has doubled, with one in four pre-schooler’s being overweight or at risk for obesity.  Fifty percent of these children will become obese adults.  For more information about this study you can visit the CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity/#1

I don’t know of many people who actually enjoy the mundane task of going grocery shopping but for those who suffer from an eating disorder it can be an absolute nightmare. For them going to the grocery can be time consuming, mentally exhausting and costly.  Check the results we collected from Dr. Norton’s Online Survey concerning grocery shopping.

• 75.2%  debate whether or not to purchase each particular item
• 44.4% find themselves fantasizing about binging on certain foods while grocery shopping
• 30.1% spend more than they can afford on food

These statistics, which are from a sample of over 125 respondents, are good examples of why Dr. Norton provides the service of shopping coach.

The eatwell plate makes healthy eating easier to understand by showing the types and proportions of foods we need to have a healthy and well balanced diet.eatwellplatelarge.pdf

-Foods Standard Agency