Meditation Can Reduce Your Desire to Eat All the Pies This Holiday Season
The average American will gain 5 to 10 pounds this holiday season. This unwanted weight may increase your chances for developing a weight related health issue such as obesity. This epidemic is sweeping our nation as 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese, and1/3rd of these people are clinically obese. Speculation about the prevalence and cause of obesity has informed the medical community about a range of eating habits and eating disorders affecting this population. It is estimated that between 1 and 2 million Americans struggle with Binge Eating Disorder, or BED. Out of those seeking treatment for their weight, 30% deal with BED.
Binge Eating Disorder is characterized by frequent episodes, occurring atleast twice a week, of consuming unusually large amounts of food. This “binge” is accompanied by feelings of distress, guilt, and lack of control, often resulting in “secretive eating”. According to an exploratory study on BED intervention, individuals with BED appear to suffer from the disregulation of multiple psychological processes that contribute to binge eating, including elevated anxiety and dysphoria, distorted and reactive thinking patterns, and disturbed awareness of normal physiological cues.
A study by Kristeller and Hallett (1999) which used a meditation-based intervention for Binge Eating Disorder may provide insight on practices that promote healthy habits for overweight individuals. The central feature of this intervention is the use of meditation as a tool for increasing mindfulness pertaining to bodily sensations that influence the binging behavior, as well as the physical, cognitive, and emotional triggers of BED. The results showed a significant improvement in the number of binges, their intensity, and attitudes toward eating, as well as reductions in the prevalence of depression and anxiety.
The use of mindfulness meditation in Binge Eating Disorder allows individuals to develop a sense of mindfulness, a perceived control of eating, and awareness of hunger and satiety cues, as reported in the study. Meditation, an ecologically sustainable practice, provides potential for positively impacting the health of the 119 Million (64.5 %) overweight adults, and 9 Million (15%) overweight children in America.
To read “An Exploratory Study of a Meditation Based Intervention for Binge Eating Disorder” please refer to the Journal of Health Psychology (1999) Vol 4(3):357-363
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