Even though binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder, two out of three adults would be unable to recognize its main symptoms, suggests a scientific article recently published in the
Journal of Eating Disorders. This lack of awareness and the prejudices held by part of the population towards overweight and obesity contribute to the stigmatization of people suffering from this mental health disorder, according to the scientists from Laval University who authored this article.
Approximately 2.8% of people will suffer from binge eating disorder during their lifetime, recalls the study's lead author,
Marilou Côté, a professor at the Faculty of Education and researcher affiliated with the NUTRISS Center - Nutrition, Health and Society, the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, and the Center of Expertise on Weight, Image and Eating at Laval University.
Binge eating disorder, also known as binge eating episodes, is characterized by intense episodes of overeating accompanied by a feeling of loss of control over food intake. Generally, these episodes last less than two hours, but they can occur several times a week. These binge episodes generate shame and guilt. Unlike bulimia, binge eating disorder is not associated with compensatory behaviors such as taking laxatives, vomiting, or excessive exercise.
Binge eating disorder is frequently associated with physical problems such as overweight (32% of cases), obesity (42% of cases), and type 2 diabetes, as well as anxiety and depression issues. "People who suffer from it experience a lot of pain," emphasizes Marilou Côté, who has witnessed the harms of this condition in her clinical practice as a psychologist specializing in eating disorders.
To assess the knowledge and prejudices regarding binge eating disorder in the Quebec population, Professor Côté and three colleagues conducted an online survey in which 894 adults participated. First, these individuals had to read a short text describing the situation of a young woman presenting the main symptoms of binge eating disorder. They then had to select, from a list of 11 choices, what they believed to be the main problem of this young woman. The result? Only one in three people correctly concluded that it was a case of binge eating disorder.
In a second step, all participants received information about this eating disorder. Subsequently, they answered questions designed to detect their prejudices regarding this condition. "The two main factors that explain the stigmatization of binge eating disorder are aversion towards people who are overweight and the belief that weight is simply a matter of willpower, therefore under the control of the individual," summarizes Professor Côté. "Many believe that people who suffer from binge eating disorder lack willpower and self-regulation, that they are responsible for their condition, and that they should simply eat less."
According to Professor Côté, the results of this study indicate that it is urgent to conduct education and awareness campaigns about binge eating disorder. "It is an eating disorder that is still little known compared to anorexia or bulimia. These campaigns would encourage people who suffer from it to seek help - there are effective treatments for this eating disorder - and they would help dispel the erroneous beliefs about weight and eating disorders that circulate in the population."
The other authors of
the study published in the Journal of Eating Disorders are Marie-Pier Roy, Christopher Rodrigue, and
Catherine Bégin.