Special Education

Teaching Students with Mental Health Disorders:
Resources for Teachers: Volume 1 - Eating Disorders

Binge Eating Disorders

In sharp contrast to the undereating behaviour of individuals with anorexia nervosa, people with binge eating disorder are chronic overeaters who go through long periods of frequent bouts of binge eating. These periods of overeating, often six months or longer, are followed by feelings of guilt and shame. Unlike people with bulimia nervosa, however, people with binge eating disorder do not engage in purging or other compensatory behaviours.

Sometimes called “compulsive eating” or “food addiction,” binge eating disorder is much more widespread than either bulimia or anorexia. Males, people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and people of a wide range of ages are just as likely as middle class, adolescent females to develop this disorder.

Binge eating disorder is a difficult disorder to identify. People with binge eating disorder are not always overweight, and people who are overweight are not necessarily suffering from binge eating disorder. Excessive weight gain has a myriad of causes.

Indicators

A student with binge eating disorder may exhibit some or many of the following indicators.

Behavioral:

  • Eats excessively, particularly as a reaction to stress, conflict and daily problems.
  • Constantly snacks.
  • Eats in private.
  • Expresses feelings of shame or guilt over eating habits.
  • Exhibits a preference for high-sugar, high-fat snack foods.
  • Often chooses to diet.
  • Seeks food as a reward for positive behaviour.

Cognitive:

  • Has a preoccupation with food. Conversations, school projects and artwork may revolve around food themes.
  • Comments about being overweight or otherwise expresses unhappiness with body image.
Affective:
  • Expresses feelings of loneliness.
  • Expresses embarrassment or self-hatred about weight, size or shape.
  • Expresses feelings of failure, powerlessness or worthlessness.
  • Demonstrates feelings of low self-esteem.

Physical:

  • Overweight or obese.
  • Experiences sudden weight gain.
  • Experiences an increased risk of bone and joint problems that can result in proneness to fracture.

Distinguishing Characteristics of a Student with Binge Eating Disorder

  • Experiences recurrent episodes of binge eating, that is, periods of time when they repeatedly eat much more food than most people would eat during a similar period and under similar circumstances.
  • Experiences at least three of the following factors during binge eating episodes:
    • eats faster than normal
    • eats until uncomfortably full
    • eats excessively when not physically hungry
    • eats large amounts of food throughout the day with no planned meal times
    • eats alone, because they are embarrassed by the amount of food consumed
    • feels guilty, depressed or disgusted with self after bingeing
  • Does not engage in purging or other compensatory behaviours during binge eating episode.
  • Feels a lack of control over eating during binge periods and feels unable to stop eating or control the amount of food being consumed.
  • Experiences binge eating episodes at least twice a week for six months, on average.