Binge eating can affect anyone of any age, gender, or ethnicity. People suffering from mental health problems, issues with weight, or obsessive personalities are more likely to experience a binge eating disorder. However, it is not clear whether these are causative of a binge eating disorder or a result of binge eating. It is more than likely that there is a bidirectional relationship, whereby the presence of a binge eating disorder can exacerbate these conditions and they can in turn exacerbate a binge eating disorder.
