Not a lot of us are aware of the cause of a common binge eating disorder in kids. Studies have found a brain difference in children ages 9 to 10 with eating disorders. It causes them to lose control and overeat.
In this article, you’ll read:
- The effects of binge eating disorders on our kids’ brains
- Increase in eating disorders among young people due to the pandemic
- What is a binge eating disorder?
Binge Eating Disorder in Kids and Its Effects on Their Brains
Binge eating disorder is a type of eating disorder characterised by frequent episodes of eating large amounts of food. People who have this kind of condition usually have a sense of having no control over their behaviour.
About 3 to 5% of the U.S. population experience binge eating disorder. The study findings suggest that people who have this condition may suffer from abnormal brain development. According to Stuart Murray, a director of the Eating Disorder Program at Keck School of Medicine of USC,
“In children with binge eating disorder, we see the abnormality in brain development in brain regions specifically linked to reward and impulsivity, or the ability to inhibit reward.”
Findings also emphasised that the binge eating disorder in kids is not due to a lack of discipline. Instead, kids have a significantly heightened reward sensitivity, especially toward calorically dense, high-sugar foods.
Furthermore, researchers have found that there are elevations in grey matter density in some areas of the brains of a child who has a binge eating disorder. These are areas typically “pruned” during healthy brain development.
Synaptic Pruning
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It is a natural process that occurs in the brain between early childhood and adulthood. It is a development phase that occurs between ages 2 and 10. During synaptic pruning, the brain eliminates extra synapses. It eliminates information that is no longer needed for the brain’s efficiency.
On the other hand, synapses are brain structures that allow neurons to transmit signals to another neuron. Disturbed synaptic pruning can be linked to several psychiatric disorders.
“This study suggests to me that binge eating disorder is wired in the brain, even from a very, very early age,” stated Murray.
Recently, researchers are still uncertain if successful treatment of binge eating disorder in kids helps correct brain development.
“The prognosis of almost all psychiatric diseases is better if you can treat them in childhood,” said Murray.
Increase in Eating Disorders Among Young People Due to the Pandemic
Some experts say that eating disorders cases rise among young people during the pandemic. Additionally, hospitalisations due to the said condition have also increased.
Aside from that, the pandemic also exacerbates disorders like anorexia, muscle dysmorphia and binge eating. Meanwhile, these are the factors affecting it:
- Social isolation
- Stress
- Disruption of routine
- Social media-fueled quest for perfection.
Binge eating disorder puts people at risk for obesity, metabolic syndrome, and abnormal cardiac function. The disorder’s risk is not just limited to its physical but also mental aspect of an individual’s life. There are also other underlying risks concerning mental health, such as anxiety and depression.
Moreover, experts aim to reduce the frequency of binge eating episodes by removing “trigger” foods as treatment goals. They also want to address underlying anxiety or depression due to the condition.
“Treatment with medication and talk therapy is effective about only half the time,” claimed Murray.
What Is a Binge Eating Disorder?
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Binge eating disorder is a type of feeding and eating disorder. It can cause additional health issues linked to diets, such as high cholesterol levels and diabetes. However, these mental illnesses are not limited to food alone. Experts recognise such conditions to be psychiatric disorders too.
People with binge eating disorders may eat a lot of food in a short time. They also can’t help but consume more food despite not feeling hungry. A person might feel a sense of release or relief during a binge but experience feelings of shame or loss of control afterwards.
Symptoms
Here are some of the common symptoms of binge eating disorder in kids:
Eating…
- much more rapidly than normal
- until uncomfortably full
- large amounts without feeling hungry
- alone due to feelings of embarrassment and shame
The condition also includes feelings of guilt or disgust with oneself. Additionally, people with the condition often experience feelings of extreme unhappiness. They feel distressed about their overeating, body shape, and weight.
Causes
The causes of binge eating disorders remain unclear. However, here is a variety of risk factors that may cause the condition:
- Genetics
- Gender
- Changes in the brain
- Body size
- Body image
- Binge eating
- Emotional trauma
- other psychological conditions
In addition, an episode of binge eating can also be triggered by stress, dieting, negative feelings relating to body weight, shape, availability of food, or boredom.
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