Portion control is the ultimate goal that nutritionists and dietitians alike try to engrave into people's memory banks on a day-to-day basis. There are some who already live this lifestyle, and there are others who are currently heading in this direction. Although it might be a daunting task, the benefits of avoiding the harmful effects from overeating far outweigh the risks.
Significance
With skyrocketing rates of obesity, it's no wonder that the effects of overeating play a significant role. People are eating and being served larger portions, and they are falling victim to the all-you-can-eat pasta nights way too many times. This, along with buffets and super-sizing, have reached epidemic proportions that are being seen in all age groups, including adolescents.
Features
Some of the features of overeating include excessive weight gain, ill-fitting clothes, cardiovascular problems, headaches, cancer, diabetes, social inequality and ridicule in public places. Public ridicule is more prevalent at restaurants, where larger people might be eating extremely large portions. Bystanders will often make comments behind their backs about the mass amounts of food they are eating.
Identification
Overeating can have a major effect on the mind, leading to feelings of guilt and social withdrawal. When someone who is eating well and exercising regularly goes to a party where they overeat, they sometimes feel extreme guilt. They can become very depressed and end up avoiding social functions in the future. If this pattern continues, it can ultimately lead to an actual eating disorder.
Effects
One of the immediate effects of overeating is bloating. This is often seen at family dinner tables on holidays when people work themselves into a food coma from mass amounts of potatoes, gravy, stuffing, turkey and pumpkin pie. Another effect of overeating that is usually seen the day after is the food hangover. The main components of this are gas, upset stomach, mood swings, diarrhea and burning eyes. All of these effects can lead to irritability.
Considerations
There are some important factors to take into consideration about the effects of overeating. First of all, overeating can become expensive. Cutting down on overeating can save lots of money over time.
Overeating can also have a direct impact on a family. Because obesity can by caused by overeating, it can ultimately lead to heart attacks or other debilitating diseases. This should especially be taken into consideration when there are children involved.
Additionally there is now talk of people getting taxed on airplanes if they weigh a certain amount. This is already the case in Canada, but U.S. airlines have not yet implemented this tax.
Expert Insight
If overeating is a problem, healthy substitution can help counteract the ill effects. To do this, replace nutrient-dense foods for nutrient-poor foods. It's better to overeat foods that are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber than foods that have nothing good to offer at all.
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