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Binge Eating Disorder (Part 1)

Binge eating disorder is the most common type of eating disorder in the United States. People with binge eating disorder often feel out of control and eat a large amount of food at one time (called a binge). Unlike other eating disorders, people who have binge eating disorder do not throw up the food or exercise too much. Binge eating disorder is a serious health problem, but people with binge eating disorder can get better with treatment.

What is binge eating disorder?

Binge eating disorder is a type of eating disorder. Eating disorders are mental health problems that cause extreme and dangerous eating behaviors. These extreme eating behaviors cause other serious health problems and sometimes death. Some eating disorders also involve extreme exercise.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, people with binge eating disorder feel out of control and eat too much (binge), at least once a week for at least three months. During binges, people with binge eating disorder usually eat faster than normal, eat until they are uncomfortable, eat when they are not physically hungry, and feel embarrassed, disgusted, or depressed because of the binges. People with this type of eating disorder may be overweight or obese.

What is the difference between binge eating disorder and other eating disorders?

People with eating disorders, such as binge eating disorder, bulimia, and anorexia, have a mental health condition that affects how they eat, and sometimes how they exercise. These eating disorders threaten their health.

Unlike people with anorexia or bulimia, people with binge eating disorder do not throw up their food, exercise a lot, or starve themselves. People with binge eating disorder are often overweight or obese. However, not all people with binge eating disorder are overweight, and being overweight does not always mean you have binge eating disorder.

It is possible to have more than one eating disorder in your lifetime. Regardless of what type of eating disorder you may have, you can get better with treatment.

Who is at risk for binge eating disorder?

Binge eating disorder affects more than three percent of women in the United States. More than half of people with binge eating disorder are women.¹

Binge eating disorder affects women of all races and ethnicities. It is the most common eating disorder among Latina, Asian American, and African American women.^2,3,4

Some women may be more at risk for binge eating disorder. Women and girls who diet often are 12 times more likely to binge eat than women and girls who do not diet.⁵

Binge eating disorder affects more young and middle-aged women than older women. On average, women develop binge eating disorder in their early to mid-20s,⁶ but eating disorders are happening more often in older women. In one study, 13 percent of American women over age 50 had signs of an eating disorder.⁷

What are the symptoms of binge eating disorder?

It can be difficult to tell whether someone has binge eating disorder. Many people with binge eating disorder hide their behavior because they are embarrassed.

You may have binge eating disorder if, for at least once a week over the past three months, you have binged. Binge eating disorder means you have at least three of these symptoms while binging:⁸

• Eating faster than normal
• Eating until uncomfortably full
• Eating large amounts of food when not hungry
• Eating alone because of embarrassment
• Feeling disgusted, depressed, or guilty afterward

People with binge eating disorder may also have other mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, or substance abuse.

References

1. Hudson, J.I., Hiripi, E., Pope, H.G., Jr., & Kessler, R.C. (2007). The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Biological Psychiatry, 61, 348–358.
2. Nicdao, E.G., Hong, S., & Takeuchi, D.T. (2007). Prevalence and correlates of eating disorders among Asian Americans: Results from the National Latino and Asian American Study. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 40, S22–S26.
3. Alegria, M., Woo, M., Cao, Z., Torres, M., Meng, X.-l., & Streigel-Moore, R. (2007). Prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in Latinos in the United States. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 40, S15–S21.
4. Marques, L., Alegria, M., Becker, A.E., Chen, C., Fang, A., Chosak, A., et al. (2011). Comparative prevalence, correlates of impairment, and service utilization for eating disorders across U.S. ethnic groups: Implications for reducing ethnic disparities in health care access for eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 44(5), 412–420.
5. Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2005). I'm, like, SO fat!; Helping your teen make healthy choices about eating and exercise in a weight-obsessed world. New York: Guilford Press.
6. Berkman, N.D., Brownley, K.A., Peat, C.M., Lohr, K.N., Cullen, K.E., Morgan, L.C., et al. (2015). Management and outcomes of binge-eating disorder (Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, No. 160). Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
7. Gagne, D.A., Von Holle, A., Brownley, K.A., Runfola, C.D., Hofmeier, S., Branch, K.E., et al. (2012). Eating disorder symptoms and weight and shape concerns in a large web-based convenience sample of women ages 50 and above: Results of the gender and body image (GABI) study. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 45(7), 832–844.
8. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author.