The Connection between Obesity and Binge Eating in Pediatrics

Contributor: Libby Lyons, MSW, LCSW, CEDS, writer for Eating Disorder Hope.

Childhood obesity can be related to various factors, social, family, sedentary lifestyle, increased food intake and genetics. Obesity in children is defined as being at a weight that is at or above 95% BMI for age. The American Academy of Pediatrics defines that childhood obesity has causal effects from interactions between “genetic, biological, psychological, sociocultural and environmental factors. (Retrieved 3/3/16).”
Feeding Children

Children learn nutrition through the modeling of their parents and peers’ preferences, as well as food intake and willingness to try new foods. Availability of, and repeated exposure to, healthy foods is key to developing preferences and can overcome dislike of foods. Mealtime structure is also important because those families who eat together typically consume more healthy foods over families that eat while watching TV or eat out of the home.

Parental feeding style is also significant. Authoritative feeding (determining which foods are offered, allowing the child to choose, and providing a sound rationale for healthy options) is associated with positive cognitions about healthy foods. Interestingly, the reverse of an authoritarian restriction of “junk-food,” is associated with increased desire for unhealthy food and higher weight (Sahoo, Sahoo, et al. 2015).

Binge Eating Disorder in Children

When we look at childhood obesity, we ask is there a link between obesity and Binge Eating Disorder? Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is defined as repeatedly engaging in binge eating episodes where individuals eat a large amount of food in a short period of time (2 hours or less). During these episodes they will feel a loss of control over their eating and may not be able to stop even if they want to. Binge eating is typically completed in secret. Following the binge are feelings of embarrassment, shame, and guilt.

Obesity in Children

A study published in the International Journal of Obesity (Wildes, Kalarchian, Levine, Houck, and Cheng ,2010), looked at 192 children, aged 8-12 years who were defined as overweight (according to BMI and height/weight chart), and of the 192 children who participated, 22 children were defined as having Binge Eating Disorder (BED). The 22 children were younger in age, and identified as having higher rates of depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, and eating disorder symptoms.

In another study published by the International Journal of Obesity, a study of 10-16 year olds found that chronic overeating was more common than binge eating. In this study, the group which had behaviors of overeating and/or binge eating, (compared to children without overeating) were more overweight and showed a greater eating-related psychopathology (Decaluwe, Braet, 2003).

Obesity in children and adolescents can be associated with a host of psychological and social problems such as, a decrease in school and social performance, poorer quality of life, bullying and peer teasing, lower self-and body-esteem, and psychological and emotional dysfunctioning.

Overweight children also show elevated levels of depression, anxiety, behavior problems, possible attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and disordered eating. Interestingly enough, parents’ perceptions of their child’s overweight highly influence the well-being of obese children and the way in which they perceive themselves (Latzer and Stein, 2013).

The Link

There is also a possible link between binge eating and obesity in children by family patterns. As mentioned above, children often model from their parents on exercise and food intake as well as perceptions around food and exercise. Often too, many nourishing foods are not accessible or are too expensive for families to afford. Multiple family members may also struggle with food issues, complexing the issue even further.

Another link between obesity and binge eating is the perceptions of young children on the topic of obesity. When asked children tend to rate disease and minor deformities as less detrimental than obesity, and tend to have higher rates of negative attitudes to being overweight than normal-weight children (Latzer and Stein, 2013).

Children also view obesity with qualities such as laziness, selfishness, lower intelligence, social isolation, poor social functioning and low academic success. Overweight children are also perceived by their normal weight peers as being less healthy, eating less well, and exercising significantly less.

Another link is the societal messages around food and diets which play an integral part in the internalization of self. The messages we see in magazines, television, books, and billboards all send a subliminal message about how others view us, and we view ourselves. Media also displays unhealthy and mixed messages around food and body size and shape.

Treating Eating Disorders

Treatment is important for recovery from obesity and eating disorders. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy are valuable techniques to help individuals recover from Binge Eating. Nutritional therapy is equally important for treatment because most individuals and families need support in learning how to nutritionally support their loved one or self.

Group therapy can also be a highly supportive tool in recovery (both for parents and youth), aiding in shared stories and feelings of being connected to others who struggle with similar issues.

In conclusion, we looked at the various factors that contribute to obesity and binge eating in children and teens. Obesity has effects of low self-esteem and worth, depression, peer bullying/teasing, and poor social and academic performance. Binge Eating is a behavior that is typically done in secret and is followed with feelings of embarrassment, guilt and shame. We see that these behaviors are on the spectrum of eating disorders and not parallel issues.

Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!

What steps can we take as a community to bring awareness to positive body image in children? How might we use these lessons we’ve learned to make a positive impact on children in school?

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About the Author: Libby Lyons, MSW, LCSW, CEDS is a specialist in the eating disorder field. Libby has been treating eating disorders for 10 years within the St. Louis area, and enjoys working with individuals of all ages.

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References:

[1]:Wildes,  Kalarchian,   Levine, Houck, and Cheng, 2010. Self-Reported binge eating in severe pediatric obesity: Impact on weight change in a randomized controlled trial of family –based treatment. International Journal of Obesity.
[2]: Decaluwé^, Braet, 2003. Prevalence of binge-eating disorder in obese children and adolescents seeking weight-loss treatment. International Journal of Obesity.
[3]: Latzer and Stein, 2013. A Review of the Psychological and Familial Perspectives of Childhood Obesity. Journal of Eating Disorders.
[4]: Sexual Abuse and Obesity, What’s the Like? Obesity Action Coalition. Cited 03/03/2016. www.obesityaction.org
[5]: Sahoo, Sahoo, et al. 2015. Childhood Obesity: causes and consequences. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care.

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The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on June 29, 2016
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com