Is Overeating a Disease In Humans? 

Overeating Disease In Humans (1)
Blogs Feb 16
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Do you have any idea what overeating can actually do to your lifestyle? Overeating is not a disease but a disorder, which can lead you to several health-related diseases. No matter whether you are at home or roaming around with your friends, tasty food options are always around you. Your favorite cuisine just takes control over your cravings, but you need to remember the portion sizes appropriate for your health. Let’s delve into the details of what overeating is. What are its causes? How you can prevent it? Amongst other related aspects to consider. 

What Is Overeating?

Overeating is very common, but we do not know how harmful it can be. Overeating is when we eat even though we are not hungry. And slowly, it becomes our habit, which leads to eating disorders. Many biological reasons make you crave food even when you are full.

Why We Overeat Sometimes?

When having delicious dishes served on our plates, we do not think twice before eating. But that is not only the reason behind overeating; below are some facts that cause overeating:

1. Eating In Emotion

In most cases, you prefer eating when you are stressed, in a bad mood, tired, or, most likely, when you get bored. You must have heard about the endorphins in the brain, which are feel-good hormones, and eating a satisfactory meal releases endorphins. It is something very easy we can do while we are exhausted. If we eat unnecessarily without the actual hunger, we are more likely to overeat.

2. Go-To Foods

Just a pleasant smell of your favorite meal, and you forget how full you have been and also how overeating causes disease. Processed and added flavors motivate you to eat for pleasure and satisfaction. Pizza, chocolate, french fries, and ice cream are the most preferred food everyone loves. Fast food plays a significant role in making overeating a daily habit, but it is a good decision to have control over what to eat to stay healthy and sound.

3. Social Gatherings

Today, there are plenty of reasons to be around food, such as family gatherings, reunions, events, and office breaks with your circle; in such situations, you may not be hungry, but the pressure of eating comes around. However, if you know overeating causes disease, you should avoid eating excessive food and stick to regular meals.

4. Passing on Meals and Dieting

Overnight stress of being overweight leads to skipping meals and dieting. But you know what studies say? It shows that skipping meals or following a strict diet can eventually end with an increased feeling of hunger, and again, you start overeating. If you fit into a healthy diet, you won’t have to stress being around food.

5. Ignoring Appetite and Mindless Eating

While watching TV shows or engaging in other activities automatically makes you eat more. When you are distracted, you keep eating and don’t realize about overeating. Mindless eating causes overfilling and unfortunate consequences like weight gain and inconsistent energy levels. In addition to the fact that overeating causes disease, make sure you have a limited meal beside your desk the next time you get engaged in working.

6. Health Issues And Medication

If you suffer from major medical conditions, you may feel hungry even if you already have enough food. Certain medications make you less likely to know when you are full. You may feel a lack of control in eating during premenstrual syndrome, depression, anxiety, and hormonal imbalances. You must consult your healthcare professionals to diagnose and manage underlying medical conditions properly.

7 Harmful Effects of Overeating

When you want to spare time, the first thing that pops up is having a quick snack time. While enjoying your snacks, it can be hard to realize when to stop, especially if you are a gobbler. But you should know that overeating causes disease and many other health-related issues that can last for a lifetime:

effects of overeating

1. Extra Weight Gain

Your overeating is the main reason for excess weight gain. The more calories you intake, the closer you get to gaining extra weight. When you consume more calories than you burn, the chances of developing obesity increase on their own. Frequent snacking and making calorie-rich choices promote excessive weight gain. It is essential to pay attention to your hunger and fullness by following protein and non-starchy vegetables.

2. Imbalanced Hunger Regulations

Ghrelin and leptin are gut hormones that majorly affect hunger regulation; they stimulate appetite, and leptin reduces appetite. Both hormones help you figure out about your hunger. But if you have a habit of overeating, it can disrupt this balance. With time, your body chooses pleasure sensations with foods rich in fat and calories. Excess eating can disturb your hunger cycle; this is how overeating causes disease, and you may also deal with its other impacts.

3. High Risks of Disease

Occasional overeating does not impact your long-term health, but persistent eating can lead to numerous diseases. Insulin resistance is closely linked to constantly overeating. When you start taking extra sugar, it reduces the ability of the hormone insulin to store blood sugar in your cells. If you still ignore the symptoms, you may have type-2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome has close relations with overeating as it includes high levels of fat in your blood and insulin resistance.

4. Impaired Brain Function

To support the statement that overeating causes disease, excessive eating may harm your brain function. When you eat extra food even after being full, you have a lot of dysfunctions in your well-being. Overeating can affect your brain health by causing inflammation and insulin resistance and impacting cognitive abilities negatively. So, to protect your memory function, it is mandatory to switch to a balanced diet.

5. Creates Nauseous Feeling 

Overeating also causes uncomfortable feelings of nausea and abdominal irritation. When you expand or cross the limit of your stomach’s capacity, you may experience nausea or indigestion. This condition often triggers vomiting, and you may also fall sick. Once you disturb your digestive system, the nausea and vomiting last long. Maintaining a gap while having any meal is always an excellent step to staying healthy.

6. Causes Gas and Bloating 

Fatty and spicy foods are most likely to strain your digestive system and trigger gas and bloating. People mostly crave gas-producing products like soda and cold drinks. Also, eating too fast leads to gas and bloating as an extra amount of food enters your stomach. Eating slowly and taking appropriate fluids after meals can easily control bloating and gas. As overeating causes disease, under-eating will maintain your well-being. 

7. Makes You Feel Sleepy

Feeling tired and inactive after eating too much is a prevalent symptom of overeating. After a heavy meal, you may feel sleepy and have difficulty concentrating on your further work. Having the right knowledge about what and when to eat can help you avoid all the symptoms. Foods rich in protein can make you feel less sleepy compared to other foods. Eating little and healthily can result in less tiredness and good-quality sleep.

Prevention of Overeating 

Having too much food in just one sitting can literally become the reason for severe health conditions. You need to avoid extra filling as overeating causes disease and can lead to other eating disorders. Following are the steps through which you can tackle overeating syndrome diseases:

how can we avoid it

1. Avoid Distractions

In your daily life, when you work in front of the computer or watch your favorite show, you prefer to enjoy your favorite meal or snacks. It might sound normal, but it can promote overeating. If you have any important work, complete it without preferring any food. Try to put away the habit of distracting and enjoy your meal without doing any side work.

2. Know Which Food Set You Off

Want to know the best idea for avoiding overeating? Get to know what triggers overeating. Listing the food items that are the major reasons for overeating would be the first step toward a healthy life. For example, if you are a cold drink fan, it can also cause overeating, so it’s a good idea to stop storing cold drinks in your refrigerator. The less access you have to it, the less likely you will overeat that drink. The same applies to other foods; keep them away from your home and out of sight, and make healthy options available.

3. Stop Eating From Containers

Eating snacks directly from the packet can definitely lead to eating more food than required. Why don’t you serve a limited amount of chips on your plate to help control the consumption of several calories and fat at once? Try to learn the appropriate quantity to satisfy your hunger to reduce the chances of overeating syndrome diseases. Knowing the best and most suitable food for your appetite will prevent extra eating.

4. Be Stress-Free

As discussed above, stress can really be a big reason for overeating. It is vital to pinpoint ways to reduce stress in your daily life. Daily stress increases cortisol, a hormone responsible for increasing appetite. You can reduce stress by listening to your favorite artist, reading books, practicing yoga meditation, and performing activities that keep you busy. Your one step towards lowering stress can lessen the chances of overeating.

5. Involve fibre-rich foods

Making fiber-rich food such as beans, vegetables, oats, and fruit as your daily diet can keep your body full and satisfied throughout the day. To reduce the urge to eat more, you can involve fiber-rich oatmeal or cornflakes for your daily breakfast to feel full for a long period. Munching on nuts and eating salad at every meal can help you eat less compared to your previous diet.

6. Enjoy Eating Regular Meals

When you follow a diet to lose weight, you cut off meals with a motive to reduce the intake of calories, but it is not the right way to avoid overeating. But, this is not the case, as skipping a meal can make you eat more later in the day. You should focus on keeping your body packed with healthy and regular meals. Eating balanced meals is way too better than skipping your meals.

7. Choose Your Dine Partner Wisely

Your dining partner’s choice of meal matters a lot while having dinner. Your partner’s taste may surely influence your taste of the meal. If you choose a companion who overeats, it can also make you overeat. Having dinner and lunch with people who have the same health goals can keep you on track and reduce the chances of overeating. Next time, Try to select the right person for your dinner.

8. Maintain Your Blood Sugar Levels

Eating white bread, cookies, chips, and other carbs will increase your blood sugar levels and fall too quickly. This frequent fluctuation may contribute to enhancing overeating and can also harm your health. Incorporating lower glycemic indexes will help you prevent blood sugar levels and inhibit overeating. Brown rice and bread are great options to maintain your sugar level and excessive eating.

overeating disorder

9. Do not Eat too Quickly

Make yourself feel free while eating, as eating too quickly will make you eat unnecessarily and may lead to weight gain over time. Slowly eating will also keep you away from overeating syndrome disease. Take time to chew your food and control your overly-eating habits thoroughly. Also, choosing small portions will give your brain time to inform the stomach when you are full. So, slowing down at meals helps you prevent overeating.

10. Make a Pre-Plan List of your food

An unplanned decision when hunger strikes can cause poor food choices, resulting in overeating. Last-minute packed food can be an unhealthy choice that might harm your health. Keeping healthy snacks in your pocket and stock in the fridge will always be a healthy option for your dinner. Such strategies help save your health, money, and time.

11. Try Sugar-Free Beverages

As overeating causes disease, your sugar intake can play an important role in triggering those diseases. The delectable taste of sugary beverages might force you to drink more even when you had enough. Sugar is fine in small amounts, but too much can make you suffer. Choosing water and sugar-free drinks over sweetened beverages will help you get rid of overeating. Do not let sweet drinks spoil your well-being; switch to a healthy beverage. 

Final Thoughts

Overeating causes disease and many other health problems, such as weight gain, and disrupts the digestive system. It is important to listen to your body’s hunger and eat in moderation. Enjoying your favorite meal is a good way to keep yourself happy, but find a balance between the food you eat and its limits. Always remember to stay healthy and hydrated by making healthy and nutritious food choices. So, keep a check on your food list and avoid overeating.

FAQS

Q1. Why do we Overeat?

There are many reasons for overeating, such as emotional eating, munching on, attending social gatherings, and having your favorite meal served on your plate.  

Q2. Which disease is caused by overeating?

Overeating may lead to several diseases like obesity, insulin resistance, high blood sugar levels, and other chronic disease.

Q3. What can be the best way to avoid overeating?

To avoid overeating, you can incorporate fiber-rich food, sugar-free beverages, and other nutritious food in your balanced diet. 

Q4. Can I feel sleepy after overeating?

Excessive eating can make you inactive and tired for the rest of the day, so keep an eye on it before making any food choices.

Q5. What are the healthy alternatives to avoid overeating?

You can ignore eating too much by munching on dry fruits and indulging in fiber-rich food such as beans and oatmeal.

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