What are the most common complications of binge eating disorder?

Worsened psychological problems can include:

• Poor quality of life
• Problematic personal and social life (relationships)
• Problematic work life (or at places of study such as schools, colleges and universities)
• A negative outlook on life
• Social isolation (lack of interest in socialising or participating in once loved activities)
• Poor self-esteem (feeling hopeless and or / helpless, guilty, sad and empty)
• Mental health and psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, mania, hallucinations, delusions, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and substance abuse.

Long-term physical complications can include:

• Problems with weight or obesity
• Heart disease (and or/ heart attack) – chest pain, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness and fainting
• Stroke
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• High cholesterol
• High blood sugar
• Type 2 diabetes – characterised by fatigue, extreme hunger or thirst, blurry vision, increased urgency to urinate (frequent urination), and sensations of numbness or tingling (especially in the hands and feet)
• Lethargy and low energy
• Concentration problems
• Lanugo (fine, downy hair growth)
• Joint problems, such as osteoarthritis and muscle pain
• Arthritis
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Disease of the gallbladder
• Kidney problems (due to prolonged dehydration)
• Sleep apnoea (sleep-related breathing disorder)
• Cancer