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People with hyperphagia have an elevated, uncontrollable, and prolonged appetite for food, which usually results in increased food intake. Medical experts believe this may be due to a change in normal hunger cues and satiety signals that control food intake and satisfaction.1
It is essential to note that recovery is possible with timely support and professional treatment.
Hyperphagia is an eating behavior characterized by a pattern of:1
It is common for a person with hyperphagia to uncontrollably consume larger quantities of food than they normally would due to the lack of normal satiety (feeling full). This differs from extreme hunger after strenuous exercise or physical activity, which often resolves after eating.2
In hyperphagia, the desire to eat never stops—even after an episode of binge eating. In fact, eating may further stimulate an unending, intense, and persistent urge to consume more food rapidly.2
Hyperphagia is, by itself, not a disease or eating disorder per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM-5). However, hyperphagia usually indicates more severe health issues, such as an underlying medical condition or eating disorder.2
The reality is that hyperphagia affects people across all age groups, races, genders, body types, sexualities, and populations.
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While hyperphagia starts gradually, the signs and symptoms can be challenging to identify. They may overlap with the characteristic features of some eating disorders. Also, hyperphagia can affect people differently as the indicative underlying condition evolves.3
For these reasons, every individual with hyperphagia is unique. For some, symptoms may manifest as a strong desire to always talk about food. Still, in others, it may show up as a lack of satiety, obsession with food, or the need for reassurance of meal time.4
Some common signs of hyperphagia can include:4
Hyperphagia is often caused by an underlying medical cause which may be due to several factors. These can include, but aren't limited to, blood glucose levels, hormonal imbalance, and rare diseases.1,2
Hyperphagia is typically not a standalone condition. It is a symptom of some eating disorders, which include binge eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN). Both conditions have a significant symptom in common—eating large volumes of food beyond satiety.1
While a restrictive mindset drives BED, compulsive eating may be due to several biological, genetic, or environmental factors in response to negative emotions.14,15 Having either of the two conditions can fuel the hyperphagic drive.
Disclaimer about "overeating": Within Health hesitatingly uses the word "overeating" because it is the term currently associated with this condition in society, however, we believe it inherently overlooks the various psychological aspects of this condition which are often interconnected with internalized diet culture, and a restrictive mindset about food. For the remainder of this piece, we will therefore be putting "overeating" in quotations to recognize that the diagnosis itself pathologizes behavior that is potentially hardwired and adaptive to a restrictive mindset.
Disclaimer about weight loss drugs: Within does not endorse the use of any weight loss drug or behavior and seeks to provide education on the insidious nature of diet culture. We understand the complex nature of disordered eating and eating disorders and strongly encourage anyone engaging in these behaviors to reach out for help as soon as possible. No statement should be taken as healthcare advice. All healthcare decisions should be made with your individual healthcare provider.
Hyperphagia is caused by several underlying conditions, including diseases, like diabetes, or eating disorders, like binge eating disorder.1
Conditions that frequently coexist with hyperphagia may include mental health conditions like depression, glucose-related disorders such as diabetes, and eating disorders like compulsive eating disorder (CED).1
While people use hyperphagia and polyphagia interchangeably, they are slightly different conditions. Hyperphagia is usually associated with higher weight, while polyphagia can lead to either suppressed, neutral, or higher weight.2
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