Binge Eating Disorder Causes & Risk Factors

Binge eating disorder can affect both children and adults and based on statistics, is a common eating disorder. However, the disorder is still in the process of being defined and there is limited data that explains what causes or predisposes a person to develop binge eating disorder. As it is for many other psychological conditions, it is believed that a variety of factors (biological, psychological, and environmental/sociocultural factors) work together in determining if the disorder will occur.

1. Biological Factors
According to genetic studies, eating disorders have a strong genetic component. It is believed that inherited biological and genetic factors contribute to approximately 56 percent of the risk for developing an eating disorder. Studies done on families with a history of an eating disorder strongly suggest that members belonging to such families face higher risks and are more predisposed towards developing an eating disorder (such as binge eating) than individuals from non-eating disorder families.

There is evidence that individuals that exhibit compulsive overeating have reduced levels of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, impulse control, and eating behaviors. According to previous studies, reduced serotonin transmission in the brain leads to compulsive and binge eating behaviors. Studies conducted on animals suggest that those individuals with reduced level of serotonin also become obese.

Serotonin was also linked to feelings of well being and satiation. According to several recent studies, after the ingestion of a high carbohydrate diet, the body processes and converts the sugar into tryptophan (a serotonin precursor). Based on these findings, the compulsiveness for eating big amounts of food can be triggered by reduced levels of serotonin. Also, reduced levels of serotonin is linked to depression - a common psychological symptom of binge eating disorder.

Studies conducted on the role of areas in the brain in controlling hunger and eating behaviors suggest that the hypothalamus (the part of the brain that controls the appetite) might fail in sending accurate messages about hunger and fullness. Two areas of the brain are responsible with regulating eating habits - the ventromedial and lateral hypothalamus. The ventromedial hypothalamus is known as the satiety center. When stimulated, the individual feels full and therefore, will stop eating. The lateral hypothalamus works in opposition to the satiety center and when stimulated the individual feels the need to eat. When the two centers fail to work properly, the person engages in dysfunctional eating habits.

2. Psychological Factors
Psychological and emotional characteristics can trigger, cause, or predispose a person to develop binge eating disorder. There is a strong link between depression and binge eating disorder. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, up to half of the individuals suffering from binge eating disorder are or have been depressed. However, it is not clear whether depression causes or increases the risk for binge eating disorder, or the disorder causes depression. Also, individuals with binge eating disorder report "... parental histories of depression," more than the healthy, non-eating disorder individuals. (6) It was also noticed that individuals with binge eating disorder have more difficulty regulating emotions and tolerating distress. There is evidence that low self esteem, loneliness, and body dissatisfaction play a significant role in compulsive eating. Furthermore, individuals with binge eating disease tend to negatively self-evaluate themselves and be extremely shy, which increases the risk for developing an eating disorder.

3. Sociocultural Factors
Most modern western societies foster a high amount of pressure for looking thin by cultivating and reinforcing a certain weight standard. Although media tends to play a significant role in emphasizing the slender body as a beauty reference point, its impact on someone's self image is not as strong as the impact of the immediate social environmental pressure. An individual is more vulnerable to develop an eating disorder and engage in dysfunctional eating habits if the immediate family and circle of friends or acquaintances place a high value on looking slender and being fit. The vulnerability increases when the individual is being teased about their weight. Most people that are not satisfied with their body weight and appearance might try different diets to lose the extra weight but excessive dieting can lead to abnormal eating habits and possibly eating disorders. According to recent studies, individuals with weight cycling that lose and regain weight over and over face a higher risk to develop binge eating disorder.

There are studies that suggest that the way a person is raised can also increase the risk for binge eating disorder. Most parents "...unwittingly set the stage for bingeing by using food to comfort, dismiss, or reward their children." (5)

Compared to women without any psychological condition or eating disorder, women with binge eating disorder were more exposed to adverse childhood experiences such as sexual or physical abuse, being bullied, or being raised in families with problems (parents with psychiatric conditions, critical parents, familial environment characterized by lack of affection, overprotection, or underinvolvement).

Conditions & Diseases: Eating & Weight Disorders

Binge Eating Disorder

Binge Eating Disorder Causes and Risk Factors