Emotional Eating

Eating Disorders

Eating Strange Mixtures of Food

Sumati Gupta Ph.D. on January 9, 2013

Do you ever find yourself combining random foods together and then overeating or binge eating? This phenomenon, called concocting, has been observed among people who are starving, but rarely investigated among people who eat too much. A new study recently released online found that concocting was common among students with symptoms of binge eating disorder.

Do you ever find yourself combining random foods together and then overeating or binge eating? This phenomenon, called concocting, has been observed among people who are starving, but rarely investigated among people who eat too much. A new study recently released online found that concocting was common among students with symptoms of binge eating disorder.

Eating Disorders

The Difference Between Binge Eating and General Overeating

Sumati Gupta Ph.D. on December 6, 2012

How do we draw the line between binge eating, soon to be recognized as a unique eating disorder, and more general overeating? A new study shows that the key difference has to do with feeling a loss of control while eating.

How do we draw the line between binge eating, soon to be recognized as a unique eating disorder, and more general overeating? A new study shows that the key difference has to do with feeling a loss of control while eating.

Anxiety

How Anxiety and Perfectionism Affect Your Eating

Sumati Gupta Ph.D. on September 28, 2012

Everyone experiences anxiety and some degree of perfectionism from time to time. To what extent might those qualities influence binge eating and dieting? A new research study examined that question by following a group of women weekly for about three months.

Everyone experiences anxiety and some degree of perfectionism from time to time. To what extent might those qualities influence binge eating and dieting? A new research study examined that question by following a group of women weekly for about three months.

Sitting at a restaurant with friends, you’re trying to decide whether or not to finish your entrée and order more food. How would your decision be different if you were alone, with strangers, or with different friends? A new research study suggests that if your friends eat less food, you’re also likely to eat less and continue eating less when you're alone soon thereafter.

Addiction

Is Bulimia Like a Drug Addiction?

Sumati Gupta Ph.D. on June 22, 2012

When the craving for a particular food hits someone suffering from bulimia it can seem impossible to overcome, much like the craving an addict experiences for drugs. New research published this month analyzes the similarities between bulimia and drug addiction.

When the craving for a particular food hits someone suffering from bulimia it can seem impossible to overcome, much like the craving an addict experiences for drugs. New research published this month analyzes the similarities between bulimia and drug addiction.

Marriage

How Overeating Affects Your Marriage/Relationship

Sumati Gupta Ph.D. on May 18, 2012

A myriad of personal factors influence how we function in relationships, from personality to financial habits to cleanliness – and eating issues are no exception. New research published last month investigates how binge eating is related to the quality of marriage. Are people who binge eat as happy in their marriage as those who don’t binge eat?

A myriad of personal factors influence how we function in relationships, from personality to financial habits to cleanliness – and eating issues are no exception. New research published last month investigates how binge eating is related to the quality of marriage. Are people who binge eat as happy in their marriage as those who don’t binge eat?

Depression

Is Your Brain Wired to Make You Crave Food When Sad?

Sumati Gupta Ph.D. on April 11, 2012

In the moments before people begin to binge eat, they often feel some kind of negative emotion—from sadness to anxiety to loneliness. Does binge eating make them feel better? New research released online last month investigates how the brain reacts to food when people are experiencing negative emotion.

In the moments before people begin to binge eat, they often feel some kind of negative emotion—from sadness to anxiety to loneliness. Does binge eating make them feel better? New research released online last month investigates how the brain reacts to food when people are experiencing negative emotion.

Diet

When Teenage Dieting Does and Does Not Lead to Adult Overeating

Sumati Gupta Ph.D. on March 21, 2012

Binge eating in adulthood is often associated with dieting as a teen. Of course most people who diet do not go on to develop binge eating or other eating disorders. However, for those who do—what sets them apart from the rest?

Binge eating in adulthood is often associated with dieting as a teen. Of course most people who diet do not go on to develop binge eating or other eating disorders. However, for those who do—what sets them apart from the rest?