Chew + Spit: An Eating Disorder?

Chew and spit, what?  More information on a bizarre, but, apparently growing old school trend, in weight loss surgery post-ops.

"You just buy stuff, chew it and spit it out without swallowing, thus ingesting fewer calories. This is best done alone. It sounds gross but it's much MUCH nicer than having your fingernails scratching the back on your throat as you stimulate your gag reflex." -Ms. Misanthropist.

Yes, I realize that isn't pleasant to read.

Weighing In Blog:

"Chewing and spitting out food is an old eating-disordered behavior only now coming to light. It’s the latest trend in eating disorders, not because the behavior is new, rather because the online community is rapidly passing around the secret. The mechanism is simple: a person who chews and spits puts food in his or her mouth, tastes it, chews it and then spits it out without swallowing in the hopes of getting some enjoyment out of food, while not having to suffer the weight-gain consequences.

Is it an eating disorder?

Some experts say, yes. Others say, no. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) the proverbial Bible of psychiatric illness, does not list “spitting and chewing” as a separate, diagnosable eating disorder.

So, even experts on on the fence about whether or not this is an ED behavior.  It's not just us that are confuseth.   But, it looks dangerous:

Is it harmful?

Absolutely. Here are four good reasons:

1. A person who chews and spits is not allowing essential nutrients into the body. Therefore, the behavior is akin to starvation dieting and/or purging by vomiting.

2. Ulcers (because food in the mouth triggers acid release in the stomach) and jaw pain are possibly in store for regular chewers and spitters.

3. Weight gain, not weight loss is the most likely consequence. The body reacts in unforeseen ways to continual chewing and spitting. Seeing, smelling, hearing about and even the hint of food can trigger the release of insulin. This hormone regulates blood sugar and is a major player in diabetes. Tasting food releases salivary enzymes and also triggers the release of insulin. Excess insulin is a dieter’s worst nightmare, because the hormone stirs appetite, making a person feel hungrier, wanting to chew and spit more. Here lies the addiction to chewing and spitting, which like bingeing and purging can be daunting to try and quit. Heightened appetite also triggers eventual weight gain, something easily evidenced by simply reading the bloggers’ laments. If a person chews and spits long enough, they can fall into a state of hyper-insulinemia*, producing too much insulin, which sets him or her up for insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and eventually diabetes.

(*Beth has this?!)

4. Finally, a person who chews and spits is probably harboring deeper fears about his or her weight and body image. These fears-- and all preoccupations with thinness and dieting-- are the foundation of all eating disorders. If you chew and spit, you are setting yourself up for a serious disorder later in life.

Don’t wait for Chewing and Spitting to become an “official” eating disorder. If you’re chewing and spitting, get help now.

There you have it.  It's not a good thing, no matter how we rationalize it, is it?

Some more links:

http://mamavision.com/2007/04/12/chew-spit-diet/

http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/board/about19669.html