Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
is becoming one of the major health problems nowadays because more people are stressed out and anxious with the fast-paced life people are living every day. Some potential complications occur with Binge Eating Disorder because it is usually caused by psychological and emotional reasons.
Some people escape from their problems and anxieties by going into an eating binge. When people go into an eating binge they eat more quickly and gorge themselves with food even when they are not really hungry. Hence, the tendency is for the food not to be metabolized properly resulting to potential complications.
Complications for Binge Eating Disorders
Hypercholesterolemia
This is a condition where the cholesterol levels of blood are elevated. Since the food is not properly
metabolized, they accumulate in the wrong places in the human body. Most of the time the excess cholesterol substances form plaques in the arteries, preventing proper blood flow.
According to the group of Dr. Henry Bishop, in his book “Clinical Chemistry: Techniques, Procedures and Correlations,”:
“Hypercholesterolemia is the lipid abnormality most closely linked to heart disease.”
These heart diseases include myocardial infarction or heart attacks, atherosclerosis, or thickening of the walls of the arteries due to cholesterol plaques.
Hypertension
This also results because the blood has to force its way out of the arteries. When hypertension remains untreated potential complications can occur. These complications include the destruction of the major organs of the body namely; the heart, kidneys, and the liver.
It can result in a stroke, which could be fatal and deadly. It can also incapacitate a patient, rendering him debilitated for life.
Diabetes mellitus
One of the causes of obesity is Binge Eating Disorders. When a person is obese, his propensity for diabetes mellitus is increased. Diabetes is characterized by hyperglycemia, (high blood sugar level) and the three Ps: polyphagia (extreme hunger), polydipsia (excessive thirst) and polyuria (excessive urination.) Overweight and obese persons are more prone to diabetes mellitus because of the excess carbohydrates and lipids stored in their systems.
Gall bladder problems
Although the gall bladder is not considered a major organ, health problems can occur resulting in potential complications. Its function is to produce bile, which is essential in the digestion of food, most especially lipids or fats.
When the gall bladder is dysfunctional it can result in the fat being unable to be digested properly. This, then, would lead to health problems, such as, atherosclerosis, steatorrhea (fat in stool), hypercholesterolemia, and fatty liver. As mentioned above, these are serious conditions which could cause illnesses.
Psychiatric problems
Psychiatric problems can also occur because a person with a Binge Eating Disorder is usually emotionally disturbed. If the disorder is not managed properly, the person may eventually withdraw from people; feel depressed and bad about herself. The person’s emotional and mental problems should be resolved first so that her Binge Eating Disorder is treated based on its root cause.
Binge Eating Disorders could be treated if the root cause is discovered and managed accordingly. The treatment would prevent the occurrence of the above-mentioned potential health complications.
