Chew and Spit: A Hidden Eating Disorder

Thin is still in. While some strides have been made in the media to portray more “real” women and emphasize healthy bodies and natural curves, thinness is still the aesthetically pleasing cultural paradigm. Millions of people, women and men, suffer from eating disorders that range from anorexia, bulimia, bingeing, and overeating. While most people who suffer from ED’s are familiar with this technique as an aid to their disease, chewing and spitting is also a singular eating disorder.

Chew and spit eating is exactly what it sounds like. A person chews up the food, usually a sweet or highly caloric food, and then spits it out. There are as many ways to act out this behavior as there are people. It is usually excessive, as the person literally “binges” on food they cannot allow themselves to ingest without gaining weight. In their mind this allows them the taste and the feeling of actually eating without the calories.

You might wonder why this is considered an eating disorder. According to Wikipedia, an eating disorder is defined as “a complex compulsion to eat in a way which disturbs physical, mental and psychological health.” A person who chews and spits their food is harboring an unhealthy relationship with food and their body. They feel that they cannot eat certain foods but constantly crave them and believe that this is the solution. There are usually triggers that set off this behavior and while it may start off in a slow and random manner it generally builds into an obsessive compulsion.

Compared to the devastating physical effects of other eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia, chew and spit eating sounds fairly benign. Yet people with these disorders can experience swollen glands, mouth sores, cavities, cracked teeth, sore throats, and irritated or ulcerous stomachs. This is because when a person thinks about or begins to eat the salivary glands and stomach acids kick into action. The salivary glands work on the food in the mouth to break it down into simple sugars and make it easier to digest. Some argue that the breakdown allows the sugar to be absorbed through the mouth into the body, thus causing actual calorie ingestion. Others argue that this would be minimal as the food does not stay in the mouth long enough for this to happen. Some claim that it’s impossible to not swallow some of the food, but again this is usually minimal. When the salivary glands and acids are frequently working it can lead to the complications mentioned. It can also cause a spike in insulin levels, which regulate blood sugar, and make it harder to lose weight.

A real danger for a person who chews and spits is that it could develop into another eating disorder, such as anorexia. They might feel they are getting satisfaction from the food they chew and spit out and therefore eat less or nothing at all. They could also move on to bingeing and purging. It’s a warning sign of self-destructive behavior that may worsen. If you or someone you know practices this behavior consider getting some professional help. Eating disorders can be very difficult, if not impossible, to overcome by yourself and generally grow to govern your entire life. There are many places to seek help, ranging from psychologists, doctors, and support groups. There are several links included for online information and resources for people with eating disorders. Please click on them to learn more, whether it’s for yourself, a family member, or a friend. We can all use a helping hand at times.

Reference:

• www.edap.org