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If you regularly eat very large amounts of food at once, you may have binge eating disorder. Up to half of people with obesity have this problem.¹

A binge is when you eat a lot of food in a short amount of time. Binge eating disorder is a real illness that can make you upset. It's not the same as bulimia, another eating disorder. People who have bulimia have a binge and then try to stop themselves putting on weight afterward by vomiting, taking pills or exercising too much.²

Some people get up and eat at night even though they don't feel hungry. Doctors call this night eating syndrome. It's more common in women than in men.

What you eat during a binge is less important than the amount you eat, and how you feel about it. You might feel:

• A little excited or rebellious when you're planning or preparing a binge
• Frightened of being caught, gaining weight or being out of control^{3 4 5 6}
• Guilty
• Ashamed
• Self-loathing
• Disgusted
• Numb
• Distanced from bad feelings.

If you're obese and you eat in this way, it's important that you seek prof essional help. This kind of eating will keep you from losing weight. And it won't make you feel any better about yourself.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.