Binge-Eating Disorder

Binge eating disorder (BED) is a behavioral disorder characterized by chronic, compulsive overeating. While occasional overeating is normal, an eating disorder is a condition that you live with every day. It feels like it controls you and interferes with your mental, emotional and physical well-being. Binge eating means consuming large quantities of food in a short period and feeling like you can’t stop.

What is considered binge eating?

Criteria to diagnose binge eating disorder include:

• Eating a greater amount of food than most people would within a limited period (one to two hours).
• Feeling a sense of compulsion or lack of control associated with eating.
• Binge eating episodes occur at least once a week and have been going on for several months.
• Feelings of distress and/or self-loathing about binge eating.

What is the difference between bulimia nervosa vs. binge eating disorder?

Unlike bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder doesn’t involve purging calories, such as forced vomiting, abusing laxatives or exercising excessively after eating. A binge eating episode ends with eating. On the other hand, some people with binge eating disorder are chronic dieters. They may attempt to restrict calories before lapsing into binge eating, or they may attempt to diet after a binge to make up for it.

How common is binge eating disorder?

Binge eating disorder is the most common of all eating disorders, accounting for almost half of all diagnoses. In the U.S., it affects almost 3% of the population, including all racial and ethnic groups. It’s more commonly diagnosed in women and people assigned female at birth than in men and people assigned male at birth, by a ratio of about 3:2. It’s also more commonly diagnosed in teenagers than adults, by a ratio of about 4:3.