Jana's room is her oasis. It's where she listens to music, does her homework, and talks on the phone to her friends. It's pretty messy in there - she has clothes piled on the chair, her desk is overflowing with books and papers, and the towering stack of CDs looks like it's about to topple. For the most part, it looks like a typical teen's room - except for what's under the bed. That's where Jana keeps her secret stash of snacks and tosses the leftover candy wrappers, chip bags, and cookie crumbs.

Jana has just polished off a whole package of cookies and a large bag of chips - and she hasn't even finished her homework yet. She's searching for more chips to eat while she does her math. She hates that she's overweight, but she can't seem to stop bingeing on junk food. Somehow, the food seems to ease her tension. In the back of her mind, she knows that in an hour or so she's going to feel guilty and disgusted with herself, but right now it feels like she just can't stop eating.

Understanding Binge Eating

If you gorged yourself on chocolate during Halloween or ate so much of your grandma's pumpkin pie during Thanksgiving that you had to wear elastic-waist pants for the rest of the day, you know what it feels like to overeat. Most people overeat from time to time. Teens are notorious for being hungry frequently - in fact, they need to eat more to support the major growth of muscle and bone that's happening. A teen's normally increased appetite is just his or her body's way of signaling that it needs more nutrients to fuel growth.

But binge eating, also called compulsive overeating, is different from normal appetite increases or overeating now and then. Teens with a binge eating problem eat unusually large amounts of food and don't stop eating when they become full. They binge not just from time to time, but regularly. And binge eating involves more than just eating a lot - with binge eating, a person feels out of control and powerless to stop eating while he or she is doing it. That's why binge eating is also called compulsive overeating. With binge eating, a person may feel a compulsion (a powerful urge) to overeat.

Teens with a binge eating problem may overeat when they feel stressed, upset, hurt, or angry. Many find it comforting and soothing to eat food, but after a binge they are likely to feel incredibly guilty and sad about the out-of-control eating. Teens who binge eat may do so to deal with (or avoid dealing with) difficult emotions. For this reason, some say binge eating is about having an unhealthy relationship with food.

The Problem With Binge Eating

Binge eating can lead to other problems, too - such as weight gain, unhealthy dieting, and emotional distress.

Weight Gain

Gaining weight is a natural consequence of regular binge eating. Most people who binge eat are overweight, and over time many become obese. Being overweight may make someone more prone to health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, joint problems, and breathlessness. And being overweight as a kid or teen makes it more likely that someone will be overweight or obese as an adult. Not all people who are overweight have a binge eating problem - but many do.

Unhealthy Dieting

Concerns about weight gain may lead teens who binge eat to diet. Extreme diets and yo-yo dieting (a pattern of repeatedly losing and then regaining weight) have their own health risks, especially for teens. Plus, dieting may make binge eaters so hungry that they end up bingeing again.

Emotional Distress

Regular binge eating may lead to low energy, low self-esteem, or depression. Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, or worthlessness may surface when a person feels little control to put the brakes on overeating. These painful feelings may make the binge eating worse and can spill over into other areas of a person's life. Some teens who binge eat don't have the coping skills to express or tolerate difficult emotions. When eating is used as a way to deal with (or not deal with) emotions, a person may be less likely to learn and practice healthier coping skills.

Reviewed by: D'Arcy Lyness, PhD
Date reviewed: September 2003