Overeating occurs when an
individual consumes more calories in relation to the energy that is expended via physical activity or expelled via
excretion
Excretion is a process in which metabolic waste
is eliminated from an organism. In vertebrates this is primarily carried out by the lungs, kidneys, and skin. This is in contrast with secretion, where the substance may have specific tasks afte ...
, leading to weight gain and often
obesity
Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's ...
. Overeating is the defining characteristic of
binge eating disorder.
This term may also be used to refer to specific episodes of over-consumption. For example, many people overeat during festivals or while on holiday.
Overeating can be a symptom of
binge eating disorder or
bulimia nervosa
Bulimia nervosa, also known as simply bulimia, is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging or fasting, and excessive concern with body shape and weight. The aim of this activity is to expel the body of calories eaten ...
.
Compulsive overeaters depend on food to comfort themselves when they are stressed, suffering bouts of depression, and have feelings of helplessness.
In a broader sense,
hyperalimentation includes excessive food administration through other means than eating, e.g. through
parenteral nutrition.
Treatment
Cognitive behavioural therapy, individual therapy, and group therapy are often beneficial in helping people keep track of their eating habits and changing the way they cope with difficult situations. Often overeating and the related binge eating are related to dieting, body image issues, as well as social pressures.
There are several
12-step programs that helps overeaters, such as
Overeaters Anonymous or
Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous and others.
It is quite clear through research, and various studies that overeating causes addictive behaviors.
In some instances, overeating has been linked to the use of medications known as
dopamine agonists, such as
pramipexole
Pramipexole, sold under the brand Mirapex among others, is medication used to treat Parkinson's disease (PD) and restless legs syndrome (RLS). In Parkinson's disease it may be used alone or together with levodopa. It is taken by mouth. Pramipe ...
.
See also
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Compulsive overeating
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Counterregulatory eating Counterregulatory eating is the psychological tendency for a person to eat
Eating (also known as consuming) is the ingestion of food, typically to provide a heterotrophic organism with energy and to allow for growth. Animals and other hetero ...
*
Behavioral addiction
Behavioral addiction is a form of addiction that involves a compulsion to engage in a rewarding non- substance-related behavior – sometimes called a natural reward – despite any negative consequences to the person's physical, mental, social ...
*
Binge eating
Binge eating is a pattern of disordered eating which consists of episodes of uncontrollable eating. It is a common symptom of eating disorders such as binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa. During such binges, a person rapidly consumes an ...
*
Binge eating disorder
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Food drunk
*
Gluttony
Gluttony ( la, gula, derived from the Latin ''gluttire'' meaning "to gulp down or swallow") means over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, or wealth items, particularly as status symbols.
In Christianity, it is considered a sin ...
*
Inflammation#Systemic inflammation and overeating
*''
Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think'' (book)
*
Polyphagia
*
Fasting
Fasting is the abstention from eating and sometimes drinking. From a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight (see " Breakfast"), or to the metabolic state achieved after co ...
References
* Kessler, David A. The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite (2009)
External links
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{{Nutritional pathology
Eating behaviors
Habits
Hyperalimentation