Chewing food and then spitting it out instead of swallowing, known as chewing and spitting (CHSP), is a behavior driven by the desire to experience food’s taste and texture without ingesting its calories. This practice differs from purging, where food is swallowed before being expelled. While seemingly a way to manage food intake, CHSP is frequently associated with disordered eating patterns and can lead to various health implications. This article explores the motivations behind this behavior, its physical and mental health consequences, and its connection to eating disorders.
Understanding Chewing and Spitting
Individuals may engage in chewing and spitting for several reasons, primarily driven by a desire to control weight or avoid calorie consumption. This behavior allows a person to enjoy the sensory experience of highly palatable foods, often high in sugar, fat, or salt, without consuming them. It can serve as a coping mechanism for food cravings or adherence to strict dietary rules, offering a momentary relief from the desire for “forbidden” foods. Some individuals use CHSP to manage body image concerns, believing it helps them maintain or lose weight.
The behavior can stem from a fear of weight gain, providing a perceived method to enjoy food without caloric intake. For some, it might be a way to avoid confrontation about their eating habits by creating the facade of eating. The act can become a ritual, with some individuals chewing food a specific number of times or planning specific times and places for the behavior. This compulsive aspect often leads to feelings of being trapped.
Physical Health Effects
Engaging in chewing and spitting can have several adverse physical health consequences, affecting oral and digestive systems. Frequent exposure of teeth to food acids and sugars, without the buffering effect of swallowed saliva, increases the risk of dental issues such as cavities, enamel erosion, and gum disease. The digestive system prepares for food intake by producing saliva and stomach acid upon chewing. When food is not swallowed, this can lead to digestive discomfort, including acid reflux, stomach upset, and stomach ulcers.
While the intent of CHSP is to avoid calories, it can paradoxically contribute to nutritional deficiencies if it reinforces inadequate food intake. The absence of swallowed food means the body does not receive necessary nutrients, leading to malnourishment. Overstimulation of the salivary glands can result in swelling and pain. Severe disordered eating patterns often accompanying CHSP can contribute to broader physiological complications like hormonal imbalances.
Mental and Emotional Health Effects
The mental and emotional toll of chewing and spitting can be significant, leading to distress and negative feelings. Individuals frequently experience guilt, shame, and self-disgust due to the secretive nature of the behavior. This conflict can exacerbate anxiety and depression. Despite the initial perception of control, the behavior often feels compulsive and uncontrollable, leading to distress and a sense of being trapped.
The need to hide this behavior can lead to social isolation, as individuals may withdraw from social situations, particularly those involving food. This isolation further contributes to loneliness. Chewing and spitting can deepen existing disordered eating patterns or serve as a gateway to other problematic behaviors, reinforcing an unhealthy relationship with food. Preoccupation with food, body image, and weight often accompanies this behavior, leading to obsessive thoughts that consume mental energy.
Connection to Eating Disorders
Chewing and spitting is not a formal eating disorder diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Instead, it is considered a symptom or compensatory behavior frequently observed in individuals with various eating disorders. It can be present in anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED). The intent behind CHSP, to avoid calorie absorption, shares similarities with purging behaviors, though the mechanism differs.
Studies indicate a strong association between CHSP and diagnosed eating disorders, suggesting it can be a marker of increased psychopathology and behavioral severity. Engaging in chewing and spitting can intensify existing disordered eating patterns and contribute to the development or worsening of an eating disorder. It can occur in individuals who also engage in excessive exercise, restrictive dieting, or laxative use. Due to its link with severe eating-related pathology, any engagement in CHSP warrants assessment by a mental health professional specializing in eating disorders.
Finding Support and Recovery
Seeking professional help is an important step for individuals engaging in chewing and spitting. A multidisciplinary team, including a therapist, registered dietitian, and medical doctor specializing in eating disorders, can provide comprehensive support. Therapeutic approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are employed to address the underlying thoughts, feelings, and behaviors associated with CHSP. These therapies help challenge fears about food and weight, manage emotional distress, and promote greater flexibility in eating patterns.
Support groups, local or online, can offer a valuable resource for shared experiences and encouragement from others facing similar challenges. Recovery benefits from self-compassion and understanding. While specific treatments solely for chewing and spitting have not been extensively developed, strategies used for other eating disorders can be effective. Recovery from this behavior and associated disordered eating patterns is possible with appropriate support and intervention.