binge eating

Unraveling Cannabis’s Role in Binge Eating Behaviors

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Summary: Over 23% of individuals seeking treatment for binge eating reported using cannabis in the past three months, suggesting a potential connection between substance use and eating disorders. Despite higher alcohol consumption and related problems among cannabis users, there was no significant increase in the severity of eating disorder or depression symptoms.

The research emphasizes the need for clinicians to screen for cannabis and alcohol use in patients with binge eating disorders, highlighting the complex interplay between substance use, appetite, mood, and eating behaviors. This study underscores the importance of understanding substance use’s impact on binge eating to improve treatment strategies.

Key Facts:

  1. More than 23% of participants in a binge eating treatment study reported recent cannabis use, indicating its prevalence among individuals with eating disorders.
  2. Cannabis users in the study did not exhibit more severe eating disorder or depression symptoms, though they reported higher alcohol use and related issues.
  3. The research calls for clinicians to screen for cannabis and alcohol use among binge eating disorder patients to better understand and treat the condition’s complexities.

Source: Drexel University

New research from Drexel University’s Center for Weight, Eating and Lifestyle Science (WELL Center), examined how often people experiencing binge eating are also using cannabis recreationally, and whether patients who use cannabis experience more severe eating disorder symptoms or symptoms of struggling with mental health.

While there has been a great deal of research on the impact of cannabis on eating habits, less is known about the effects of cannabis use on individuals with a binge eating disorder. Binge eating is the experience of feeling out of control when eating or unable to stop eating.

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The findings indicate that a notable subset of the participants with binge eating disorders use cannabis and experience strong desires or urges to use cannabis.

Cannabis may play a particular role in maintaining binge eating as research suggests cannabis can increase how pleasurable or rewarding people find high sugar or high fat foods.

Recently published in Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, the research found more than 23% of the 165 study participants reported using cannabis in the past three months – either “once or twice” or “monthly.” These participants were individuals seeking treatment for binge eating and reported their cannabis and alcohol use as part of that process.

“Distinguishing the relationship between cannabis use, eating disorder severity and other psychiatric symptoms in binge eating patients is necessary for informing screening and clinical recommendations,” said lead author Megan Wilkinson, a doctoral student in Drexel’s College of Arts and Sciences.

While study participants who used cannabis reported “a strong desire or urge to use cannabis” and they also drank alcohol more frequently and reported more problems related to their alcohol use; the research team noted that participants with binge eating disorders who used cannabis did not have more severe eating disorder or depression symptoms.

“Both alcohol and cannabis can impact an individual’s appetite and mood. Our finding that patients with binge eating who use cannabis also drink more alcohol may suggest that these individuals are at a higher risk for binge eating, given the compounded effects on appetite and mood from these substances,” said Wilkinson.

“Treatments for binge eating should explore how substance use affects hunger, mood, and eating for patients.”

Participants also completed surveys and interviews about their binge eating, other eating disorder symptoms and depression. The research team compared individuals who reported cannabis use to individuals who did not report cannabis use to see if there were statistically significant differences in their alcohol use, eating disorder symptoms, or depression symptoms.

The findings indicate that a notable subset of the participants with binge eating disorders use cannabis and experience strong desires or urges to use cannabis. Additionally, using cannabis appears to be related to drinking patterns and problems with drinking (e.g., needing more alcohol to feel intoxicated, inability to control drinking) for patients with binge eating.

“We hope this research is helpful for clinicians treating patients with binge eating, as it can provide them with updated information about the prevalence of cannabis use in their patients,” said Wilkinson.

“We recommend that clinicians screen for cannabis and alcohol use in all their patients and assess any potential problems the patient may be experiencing related to their substance use.”

Wilkinson also noted that updated research on cannabis use in patients with binge eating will be required regularly due to changing social norms and laws related to cannabis in the United States.

Next, Wilkinson and her colleagues are planning to explore the ways that cannabis use may impact hunger and mood for patients with binge eating, and therefore potentially exacerbate their binge eating symptoms.

Abstract

Cannabis use and binge eating: Examining the relationship between cannabis use and clinical severity among adults with binge eating

Cannabis use is prevalent among individuals with binge eating (BE; i.e., the inability to control eating behavior). Yet, only two studies to date (both over 20 years old) have tested if cannabis use relates to clinical severity among BE samples.

Characterizing the relationship between cannabis use, eating disorder (ED) severity, and other psychiatric symptoms in BE samples is necessary for informing screening and clinical recommendations.

The present study characterized cannabis use among adults with BE and tested between-group and within-group relationships between cannabis use and eating disorder symptoms, alcohol consumption and symptoms, and depression symptoms.

Participants (N = 165) were treatment-seeking adults with at least once weekly BE in the past 3 months who completed clinical interviews and self-report measures before treatment.

Over 23% of participants reported cannabis use in the past 3 months, with most persons using cannabis reported using “once or twice” or “monthly.” Most persons using cannabis reported cannabis-related symptoms.

Persons using cannabis reported significantly greater alcohol consumption and were more likely to report alcohol-related symptoms compared to persons not using cannabis. No associations were observed between cannabis use, eating disorder symptoms, and depressions symptoms.

These findings indicate that a notable subset of patients with BE use cannabis and experience cannabis-related problems, and that cannabis and alcohol use may be related for these individuals.

Considering legal and sociocultural shifts in cannabis availability and prevalence, results from the present study support screening for cannabis and alcohol use patterns in patients with BE.

Weight loss: Gain control of emotional eating

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Find out how emotional eating can sabotage your weight-loss efforts, and get tips to get control of your eating habits.

Sometimes the strongest cravings for food happen when you’re at your weakest point emotionally. You may turn to food for comfort — consciously or unconsciously — when you’re facing a difficult problem, stress or just looking to keep yourself occupied.

But emotional eating can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Emotional eating often leads to eating too much, especially too much of high-calorie, sweet, fatty foods. But the good news is that if you’re prone to emotional eating, you can take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on track with your weight-loss goals.

The connection between mood, food and weight loss

Emotional eating is eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative emotions, such as stress, anger, fear, boredom, sadness and loneliness. Both major life events and the hassles of daily life can trigger negative emotions that lead to emotional eating and disrupt your weight-loss efforts. These triggers may include:

  • Unemployment
  • Financial pressure
  • Health problems
  • Relationship conflicts
  • Work stress
  • Fatigue

Although some people actually eat less in the face of strong emotions, if you’re in emotional distress you may turn to impulsive or binge eating — you may rapidly eat whatever’s convenient, without even enjoying it.

In fact, your emotions may become so tied to your eating habits that you automatically reach for a treat whenever you’re angry or stressed without stopping to think about what you’re doing.

Food also serves as a distraction. If you’re worried about an upcoming event or stewing over a conflict, for instance, you may focus on eating comfort food instead of dealing with the painful situation.

Whatever emotions drive you to overeat, the end result is often the same. The emotions return, and you may also now bear the additional burden of guilt about setting back your weight-loss goal. This can also lead to an unhealthy cycle — your emotions trigger you to overeat, you beat yourself up for getting off your weight-loss track, you feel bad, and you overeat again.