Is eating loads a symptom of aurism?

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This is something I've noticed in a lot of people on the spectrum.

Eating loads?

yummy yummy yummy I got cum in my tummy

oh and what's aurism?

Yeah, he loads! More than most people. I don't nessaserally mean all day every day, but more than average?

I meant to type autism, but typerd aurism by mistake lol

I hope you meant loads of food. I always have had a huge appetite. I also eat really fast. When I was in the Army I was a squad leader in basic training. When your squad leader is finished eating you are finished eating. The drill sargeants had to make me go back in the food line for a second helping so my squad could have a chance to finish eating. I sometimes would finish before my squad after waiting in line for a second helping.

I don't think so. I don't eat that much. It's probably possible for people on the spectrum to have issues knowing when to stop eating--an executive dysfunction thing. My problem is more remembering to eat in the first place though.

I have that problem too. If I start getting a headache then check "am I thirsty? am I hungry?" before most other things.

I don't know if either eating a lot or eating an usual amount is a symptom, but I don't eat a lot. I actually eat very little.

I tell through headaches.

I don't think I feel hunger. Unless it's something very easily ignored and misinterpret as something completely unrelated to a need to eat something...
I eat a lot if there's delicious food (or "food" such as candy) around. If not, I don't. Simple. And unhealthy.

No, eating a lot isn't related to autism. In fact, eating too little seems to be more likely because of sensory issues related to food. Not that there aren't autistics who eat a lot, but it seems to be less common than in NTs.

I definitely "eat loads" a lot of the time. Well, for me, I go to either extreme. I either starve myself or eat until I am sick. I cannot identify anything other than the extremes (due to alexithymia, I think). I weigh a lot more than I should, and my gyn is trying to get me to lose a lot, and I keep telling him that I cannot identify hunger so I cannot figure out when or how much to eat. That didn't work, so I am currently--as of yesterday--back to obsessing about calories. I limit myself currently to 1200-1500 a day (although today I've had less than 400...) and unless I do this OBSESSIVELY I will ALWAYS overeat. This is just going to have to be the way it is. I cannot identify the feelings, but I can count, so this should prevent me from overeating hopefully. I always thought I had binge-eating disorder, but I really don't. I've just recently learned that this is part of alexithymia (which is likely related to the autism as well, yes?) so that is what is causing me to overeat. Not everyone with autism has this problem though.

**oops double post**

Last edited by littlelily613 on 21 Aug 2011, 8:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Eating a lot is not a symptom of autism, but people with autism can eat a lot. My husband has AS and he is compulsive eater. He has tried to restrain himself because it is bad for his health, but without success. Right now he is trying with a tea that reduces anxiety. Its being only 1 week but it seems to be working.

Try being a girl with monthly cravings so strong they override all reason and then enjoying the thing you are craving so much that it is nearly impossible to stop eating for two or three days.

If the craving is for lettuce then you're in good shape. If the craving is for salt/crunch or creamy/chocolate - you're screwed.

I actually eat a lot less than most people.