What is Binge Eating Disorder?

Although the DSM-5 won't be published until 2013, its draft is available on the American Psychiatric Association (APA) website. In the DSM-5 draft, binge eating is defined as:

A. Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following:

1. eating, in a discrete period of time (e.g., within any 2-hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances

2. a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g., a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating)

B. The binge-eating episodes are associated with three (or more) of the following:

1. eating much more rapidly than normal

2. eating until feeling uncomfortably full

3. eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry

4. eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating

5. feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty after overeating

C. Marked distress regarding binge eating is present.

D. The binge eating occurs, on average, at least once a week for three months.

E. The binge eating is not associated with the recurrent use of inappropriate compensatory behavior (i.e., purging) and does not occur exclusively during the course of bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa.

Binge eating is in the current DSM, but only in the appendix. DSM-5 is proposing that it be removed from the appendix and be added to the eating disorder section.

Who is affected?

Binge eating disorder (BED) tends to affect a different demographic than bulimia or anorexia.

According to the DSM-5, "Furthermore, in comparison to other eating disorders, BED shows a relatively distinct demographic profile with a greater likelihood of male cases, older age, and a later age of onset."

In addition, BED has been shown to run in families.

How is it treated?

Individuals with BED don't respond as well as obese individuals with behavioral weight loss treatments. Anti-depressants have shown to be effective for some individuals with BED.

How is it different from bulimia?

The DSM defines bulimia with both the same A1 and A2 criteria, but those episodes are followed with:

B. Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior in order to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting; misuse of laxatives, or diuretics.

C. The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur, on average, at least once a week for 3 months.

D. Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight.

E. The disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of anorexia nervosa.

Once BED is included in the DSM's section on eating disorders, it will hopefully receive more research and provide doctors with a better understanding.

DSM-5 Eating Disorders- http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/EatingDisorders.aspx
DSM-5 Binge Eating-http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/proposedrevision.aspx?rid=372