BINGE-EATING IN OBESITY

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of dieting and of body shape d issatisfaction on binge eating. DESIGN: Longitudinal study following b iliopancreatic diversion (BPD), when the body shape has become normal or nearly normal, and any worries over weight, dieting and food have p robably been abandoned completely. SUBJECTS: 65 severely obese patient s, evaluated by clinical semistructured interview for occurrence of bi nge eating episodes prior to, and at one and at two years following BP D. RESULTS: Whereas preoperative binge eating had been reported by 65% of the obese individuals, at two years following BPD binge eating occ urred only in 9.2% of them. CONCLUSIONS: Weight stabilisation followin g BPD is associated with a sharp improvement in control over food inta ke, and this suggests the central role of dieting and/or of body dissa tisfaction in causing binge eating episodes.