How Much Are you Eating?

There are various eating disorders that plenty of people partake in currently within America. Most eating disorders focus on losing weight and maintaining a thin figure. According to the Office on Women’s Health, binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the U.S. which affects about two percent of American adults (“Binge Eating Disorder Fact Sheet,” 2012). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines binge eating is when a person frequently consumes a large amount of food. Although this disorder is most commonly found amongst people who are overweight, it can be found in a broad range of people with any weight (“Binge Eating Disorder Fact Sheet,” 2012). Binge eating disorder is a growing problem in America affecting college students both physically and mentally.

Robin F. Apple, clinical associate professor at Stanford University, suggest binge eaters consume nearly three times the recommended amount of calories by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Binge eaters consume approximately 6,000 calories of food a day versus the recommended daily calorie intake of 2,100 calories (Apple, 7). This could be the reason for them feeling overwhelmingly full after a session of binge eating. The feeling of being tremendously full is one sign a person binge eats. There are several signs that Natalie Chambers, editor of Binge Eating: Psychological Factors, Symptoms, and Treatment, writes about just as Apple includes in her book. Signs and symptoms of binge eating range from person to person and these signs must be present for at least three months for someone to be diagnosed with binge eating disorder. Symptoms include eating for approximately 78 minutes without stopping and continuously (Chambers, 24). B...

... middle of paper ...

...r. Psychological Responses to Eating Disorders and Obesity: Recent and Innovative Work. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons, 2008. Print.

Chambers, Natalie. Binge Eating: Psychological Factors, Symptoms and Treatment. New York: Nova Science, 2009. Print.

Goldschmidt, Andrea . “The Course Of Binge Eating From Adolescense To Young Adulthood.” Health Psychology 33.5 (2014): 457-460. PsycINFO. Web. 7 May 2014

"Let's Move." America's Move to Raise A Healthier Generation of Kids. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. .

O'Connor, Anahad. "Diabetes and the Obesity Paradox." Well Diabetes and the Obesity Paradox Comments. 8 Aug. 2012. Web. 15 May 2014. .

Stellato, Kelly. “Binge Eating Disorder: Nutrition Therapy.” Walden Behavioral Care. PDF File.