Binge eating disorder is an
eating disorder which is characterized by episodes of binge eating; binge
eating refers to a feeling of being out of control and consuming an amount of
food that is larger than a normal portion of food which most people would eat
during a similar period of time. For example, someone with binge eating
disorder may consume several entire pizzas within an hour, which is a much
larger portion than most people would eat during that same period of time.
Binge eating disorder is considered
to be the most common eating disorder in the United States. It is estimated to
affect 3.5% of females in the United States, 2% of males of the United States
and around 30% of individuals who seek weight loss
treatment in the United States. Technically, binge eating disorder is not yet
classified as its own separate eating disorder like anorexia nervosa and
bulimia nervosa, although current revisions for the upcoming DSM-V have indicated
that binge eating disorder will be separated from the more general category of
eating disorders not-otherwise-specified.
Diagnosing binge eating disorder
may vary from physician to physician due to the fact that binge eating disorder
is not yet classified as a separate eating disorder. However, general criteria
for the diagnosis of binge eating disorder includes: eating an amount of food
which is noticeably larger than what most people would eat during a specific or
similar time frame; a feeling of losing control before eating and while eating;
eating quickly or unusually fast during binging episodes; eating an unusually
large amount of food when feeling depressed, angry or emotional; eating alone
or hiding binge eating from family members or friends. It is important to note
that binge eating disorder does not involving purging behavior, such as those
found in the binge/purge subtype of anorexia nervosa and in bulimia nervosa.
Someone with binge eating disorder will have binge episodes but they will not
purge their food through self-induced vomiting or other methods—although they
may attempt to do so or feel that they should purge the food that they have
eaten.