http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/10/overeating-in-children-may-be-linked-to-drug-use/?hpt=he_c2
This interesting article examined if there was a correlation between overeating/binge eating, and drug use. The main drug interested was marijuana, but other drugs were also examined. A reason for overeating or binge eating could be due to the idea that the individual has no control and can't stop eating. This is also a reason why individuals abuse drugs, in that they can't help it or stop using them. This study examined almost 17,000 boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 15 over a 9 year span. They determined if the kids were overeating through questionnaires basically asking if they were able to control their eating habits. A loss of control was determined to be binge eating. This and overeating with no loss of control were both examined.
Binge eating was more common in girls than boys, but not by much. The results found that binge eating, but not overeating, led to obesity and depression. Meanwhile, the doctors found that overeating had a strong correlation with marijuana use and some other drugs. Binge drinking was not found to be connected at all. These researchers are aware of why these symptoms lead to obesity, but not why it leads to drug use.
How do you think these researchers can improve this experiment to find the reason why overeating leads to drug use? One reason could be that these children cannot find the excitement in food anymore and feel like they must turn to drugs. Or, they eat so much that they have almost no energy in their daily lives that they need some stimulants to even get them off of the couch.
I think that the researchers may be asking the wrong questions here. For instance marijuana use has been demonstrated to increase appetite. Perhaps individuals who regularly use marijuana are more likely to overeat because marijuana increases appetite. Additionally, it is possible that individuals who frequently smoke marijuana and other drugs in general are more likely to overeat because they have low impulse control.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, individuals who over weight may be subjected to prejudices and discrimination. Society has a tendency to treat individuals who are overweight poorly. This is evident when examining how the media portrays movie/television characters who are overweight. In television programs and movies, characters who are overweight are more likely to be depicted as, unemployed, unhappy, less educated, and less liked than their peers compared to characters who are of a healthy weight or underweight. These negative stereotypes are even seen in children’s cartoon shows. The subliminal message relayed is that being overweight is undesirable whereas being thin not only desirable but also something that one should strive for. Further more, individuals who are overweight are more likely to experience discrimination in the job market, school settings, and in healthcare facilities (Ata & Thompson, 2010; Greenburg, Eastin, Hofschire, Lachlan, & Brownell, 2003). This may lead to depression and other psychological disorders such as anxiety, bulimia nervosa. Drug use may be a coping mechanism to deal with these potential issues.
I agree with Holland. I think that testing marijuana use along with over-eating is not the right approach for the study. It is true that over-eating and smoking marijuana are both habits that form when there is a lack of self control. However, maybe when the subjects were under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they were experiencing lower impulse control and that is why they chose to binge drink.
ReplyDeleteI think researchers should not be looking at the lack of control but of the emotional aspect that food as well as drugs and alcohol have on the subjects. Food acts like a stimulant in the brain triggering a euphoric response. Some people even say they get a "food coma" after they eat too much. So maybe, people who over-eat are just trying to find the same feeling when they use drugs and alcohol. It is an altered state of being and it may give them the same euphoric feeling as food does for them.
I found the connection between "loss of control" and overeating or binge eating very interesting. I wonder how many of those who admitted to binge eating could actually have been diagnosed with binge-eating disorder. Classically eating disorders usually have to do with control issues.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, it makes sense that overeating and binge-eating has a connection to depression and drug use. As a society we have a stigma towards those who are over weight, and they often must deal with bullying, criticism, and a lot of the time (but not always) personal dissatisfaction and frustration with their body and as a result have poor body image. Dealing with all of this could certainly lead to depression and many could turn to drugs to numb that pain.