A newly recognized eating disorder affecting millions of Americans is becoming highly prevalent at a dangerous pace, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Someone with a binge eating disorder is classified as consuming large amounts of food and feeling a loss of control over how much they put in their mouths. Often, it gets to the point when the person feels sick enough and has to make the body purge, said Mary Anne Knapp, social worker from Penn State Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).

This disorder is different from bulimia because a binge eater does not use any substance to help themselves throw up, whereas those who are bulimic often use harmful bodily substances such as diuretics and laxatives to help them purge.

Some symptoms of binge eating include an overwhelming need for food, feelings of loneliness and using food as comfort. Long-term effects of binge eaters include high cholesterol, diabetes and future heart problems, Knapp said.

"From fall 2005 to spring 2006, CAPS helped to treat nearly 250 cases of eating disorders, and there were some cases of binge eating included in this number," Knapp said.

"People of normal weight are the prime targets for this disorder because they tend to have low self-esteem and body issues and find their only means of control over life become managing their weight," she said.

Though most people believe that teenagers and college-aged individuals are the only people who suffer from eating disorders, older adults can be diagnosed with binge eating as well. Anyone can have a hard time dealing with food and subject themselves to the abuse of food, Knapp said.

Rebecca Corwin, professor of nutrition at Penn State, said individuals need to learn how to eat properly and exercise the right way to avoid falling into the trap of dangerous eating habits.

She said it is a common misconception to stop eating the daily number of recommended calories for faster weight loss. In reality, this way of dieting is actually a recipe for weight gain and binge eating.

"Weight gain is certainly a common and very frustrating experience for many people," Corwin said.

According to WebMD.com, many binge eaters suffer from a lack of knowledge of how to exercise or eat right.

Treatment methods for binge eating disorders can include counseling sessions and perscription antidepressant medications for those individuals who cannot control their emotions while eating.

"People think they can only go into CAPS if they know they have anorexia or bulimia, because these seem to be the disorders people know the most about," Knapp said.

"[People] seem to minimize binge eating and think it is not a real issue. The hard part is trying to convince these people this is a disorder and they should seek help," she said.

Knapp said CAPS offers solutions and treatments for getting help including free individual or group counseling sessions, providing referrals to private physician's offices or nutritionists and working with University Health Services to refer students to get the help they may need.