Eating disorders and psychiatric disorders in the first-degree relatives of obese probands with binge eating disorder and obese non-binge eating disorder controls

Objective: The purposes of the present study were to examine the possibilit y of a familial tendency for binge eating disorder (BED) among the obese, t o clarify the relationship between BED and other eating disorders, and to t est the relationship between BED and other psychiatric disorders. Method: W e studied 32 female BED outpatients and 23 obese females without BED. A pos sible history of eating disorders was assessed using the Structured Clinica l Interview for DSM-NI-RR-Eating Disorders section administered by telephon e interview. Family history information for other psychiatric disorders was collected using the Family History Research Diagnostic Criteria. Results: The frequency of all eating disorders and the risk for other psychiatric di sorders were not significantly different between the relatives of the two g roups. These results were consistent across generation and gender. Discussi on: This study failed to show a familial tendency far BED, or any significa nt familial relationship between BED and other eating disorders, and did no t support the hypothesis of coaggregation of other psychiatric disorders wi th BED. (C) 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.