BINGE-EATING IN AN OBESE COMMUNITY SAMPLE

Objective: The present study sought to examine the validity and utilit y of diagnostic criteria for binge-eating disorder (BED) by replicatin g and extending a study reported by de Zwaan and colleagues (Internati onal Journal of Eating Disorders, 15, 43-52, 1994). Method: Four group s of obese individuals were selected from a large community-based samp le of men and women: 33 women and 20 men with BED, 79 women and 40 men with subthreshold BED, 21 women and 39 men who reported recurrent ove reating, and 80 female and 80 male normal controls. The groups were co mpared on measures of body image concern, dieting behavior, and associ ated psychological distress. Results: Individuals with BED were distin guishable from overeaters and normal controls on a number of psycholog ical and behavioral variables. Few differences were found between subt hreshold and full-syndrome BED, raising questions about the diagnostic validity of the frequency threshold. Men with BED did not differ from women with BED above and beyond the gender-related differences observ ed across all four groups. Discussion: Our findings support the view o f BED as a distinct syndrome. (C) 1998 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.