Binge Eating and Over Indulgences During Festivals – A Health Concern

In India, festivities and food are quite synonymous. Round the year festive celebrations give us the perfect excuse to indulge in some mouth-watering delicacies. And then there are the special sweet delights like laddoos, jalebis, gulab jamun, and ghewar. We make them, receive them from friends and family, and share them. Force-feeding our friends and even children has come to be equated with love and affection. In India, binge eating during festive occasions has become quite acceptable. What is unacceptable, though, is falling sick due to such overindulgence. Food is at the center of Indian life and society. While this can be wonderful if we balance traditional culinary practices with health, we have made this an excuse to overeat, binge eat and indulge our taste buds with no concern for our health. Children, the elderly, and those who are at high risk of developing lifestyle disease, in particular, are vulnerable and prone to falling sick following such overindulgences during the festive seasons. But does binge eating cause weight gain too? Keep reading to explore more. Here are just a few of the damages that binge eating can do to us –

Health Risks of Overeating

Gastritis And Constipation

One of the common health risks of overeating that most people complain of, is gastritis. This is because of the consumption of very spicy or very greasy foods. The high quantities of oil, sugar and refined flour that make the “special” dishes and sweets during the festivities lead to acid reflux, heartburn, and even constipation.

Cavities And Dental Caries

Cavities and dental caries are also common health risks of overeating.Traditional sweets prepared at home are lower in sugar content than store-bought sweets. Convenience, however, has led to a culture of exchanging sweets prepared by confectioners high in sugar content and containing artificial sweeteners. These are just the ingredients that cause cavities and gum problems.

Increase In Cholesterol Levels

Increased cholesterol levels is one of the common health risks of overeating. Oily curries, deep fried snacks, and sweets made from hydrogenated vegetable oils are common foods we indulge in during the festive season. Be it Holi, Diwali, Eid, or Christmas, all the foods we look forward to on these occasions play a great role in increasing the triglyceride, LDL, and cholesterol levels in our blood. Not only is this harmful to heart health, but it also puts added pressure on Liver Function.

Higher Risk Of Developing Diabetes

India is now the diabetes capital of the world, with over 69.2 million people suffering from this disease. The high levels of sugar consumption over the festive season and binge eating may be the tipping point that pushes those with pre-diabetes over to develop diabetes.

Does Binge Eating Cause Weight Gain?

Even health conscious people give in and indulge in overeating and gluttony during the festivals. With innumerable temptations, it is indeed hard to resist. They do not seem to remember that they could well be undoing all the hard work they put in by way of exercise and maintaining their diet through the rest of the year. So does binge eating cause weight gain? Yes, weight gain, obesity and hard-to-shake-off body fat are the inevitable results of binge eating.
Festivities need to glorify the spirit of fun, giving, sharing, and joy. Overindulgence in food is not the essence of Indian festivals but is certainly the way to develop numerous diseases.