What causes binge eating disorder and who can get it?
As with other eating disorders there is no single cause of binge eating disorder and it can affect anyone, although it is more likely to affect girls and women. Most experts believe that it takes a combination of things to develop an eating disorder such as binge eating. Your genes, emotions, and behaviors, such as eating patterns that you learn whilst you are growing up, can all play a part. Binge eating is very closely related to your emotions and how you are feeling. People that binge eat often suffer from depression too and use food to comfort themselves when they are feeling down or unhappy. It is believed that some people may be more prone to overeating for biological reasons. The part of the brain that controls their appetite (the hypothalamus) and what they eat may fail to send proper messages about hunger and fullness. These ideas are still being investigated.
