From the Guidelines
Binge eating disorder is diagnosed when a person experiences recurrent episodes of binge eating characterized by consuming an abnormally large amount of food in a discrete period (usually within 2 hours) while feeling a lack of control over eating during these episodes, as outlined in the DSM-5 criteria 1.
Diagnostic Criteria
The diagnostic criteria for binge eating disorder include:
- Recurrent episodes of binge eating, defined as eating a larger amount of food within a 2-hour period compared with peers, and a perceived lack of control during the time of the binge 1
- Bingeing episodes are associated with at least 3 of the following: eating faster than normal, eating until overly full, eating large quantities of food when not hungry, eating alone because of embarrassment about the quantity of food eaten, and feeling badly emotionally after eating 1
- Upset about bingeing, and bingeing behavior occurs at least once a week for 3 months 1
- Bingeing is not followed by the use of unhealthy behaviors to purge and does not occur during AN or BN 1
Key Features
The key features of binge eating disorder, as distinguished from other eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa, are the absence of compensatory behaviors like purging, excessive exercise, or fasting 1.
Severity Classification
The severity of the disorder is classified based on the frequency of binge episodes, with categories including mild, moderate, severe, and extreme 1.
Importance of Early Intervention
This disorder causes significant psychological distress and often leads to obesity and related health complications, making early intervention important for both mental and physical health 1.
From the Research
Diagnostic Criteria for Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
The diagnostic criteria for Binge Eating Disorder (BED) are characterized by:
- Recurrent episodes of binge eating, defined as eating a large amount of food in a short period of time, accompanied by a sense of lack of control over eating 2
- Binge eating episodes occur on average at least once a week for 3 months 2
- Episodes are associated with marked distress 2
- Absence of regular compensatory behaviors, such as purging or laxative abuse, to prevent weight gain 3, 4
- Binge eating episodes may involve eating even when not hungry, until uncomfortably full, and occurring at least twice a week for a 6-month period 5
Key Characteristics of BED
- BED is commonly associated with obesity, somatic and mental health comorbidities, and significant psychopathology 4, 6
- People with BED experience considerable burden and impairments in quality of life, and often go undetected and untreated 6
- Psychiatric comorbidities, such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, impulse control disorders, or substance use disorders, are very common in individuals with BED 2