FollowAlike binge drinking, binge eating is also not good for health, says a study.
But the scientists say binge eating affects men and women differently. Obese men who overeat that their female counterpart are more likely to have elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure, says the study.
According to the scientists, binge eating disorder is defined as repeated consumption of large quantities of food in a short period of time without some other compensatory activity like vomiting.
People with binge eating disorder also report feeling of a loss of control over their eating habits, says the researchers.
According to Tomoko Udo, lead author of the study, men are often misrepresented in the study of obesity and binge eating.
“People used to think binge eating was less common in men than women,” she said.
Study
The researchers carried study on 190 people of which 141 were women and another 49 were men. The participants were seeking treatment for obesity and binge eating disorder in a primary care setting.
Even after adjusting for race and body mass index, men were three times as likely to meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The study group consisted of people who sought help with their weight, which may have a bearing on the higher incidence of metabolic syndrome seen in men, Udo said.
The study found few psychological differences between men and women with binge eating disorder.
Women were found more likely than men to become overweight earlier and to attempt dieting earlier and men were more likely to say that they engaged in strenuous physical activity in an attempt to lose weight.
The study was published in the journal General Hospital Psychiatry.
