BINGE-EATING DISORDER - CLINICAL-FEATURES AND TREATMENT OF A NEW DIAGNOSIS

This review will describe the diagnostic criteria for the recently pro posed diagnosis of binge eating disorder and provide an overview of it s prevalence, clinical characteristics, and treatment approaches. Stud ies indicate that binge eaters represent a substantial proportion (18- 46%) of the obese in weight control programs. Normal-weight patients w ith bulimia nervosa, obese binge eaters, and obese nonbinge eaters app ear to represent three distinct populations, with obese nonbinge eater s showing the least psychological disturbance and patients with bulimi a nervosa exhibiting the most. Preliminary findings indicate that obes e binge eaters may be more likely than nonbinge eaters to drop out of treatment when treated by conventional weight loss programs, although weight losses achieved by binge eaters and nonbinge eaters who finish treatment do not differ significantly. Treatment programs that focus o n the disturbed eating behavior appear to be effective to some degree in reducing binge eating frequency and related pathology, but patients tend to relapse after completion of treatment. Operationalized criter ia such as the proposed DSM-IV criteria for binge eating disorder coul d facilitate coordinated research on binge eaters who do not meet crit eria for bulimia nervosa.