In the 1950’s binge eating was first described by Stunkard (1959). Binge eating is seen as disturbed eating behavior, which is a key symptom of various eating disorders, such as bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED) (Duchesne, Mattos, Appolinario, de Freitas, Coutinho, Coutinho & Santos, 2010). According to the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV; APA, 1994), people who suffer binge eating, consume larger amounts of food in a fixed time compared to healthy people under similar conditions. Persons who binge eat are not able to control their eating habits.
BED is not included in the DSM-IV as a formal diagnosis, but categorized as 'eating disorders not otherwise specified’ (ED-NOS) within the group of eating disorders (Manwaring, Hilbert, Wilfley, Pike, Fairburn, Dohm & Striegel-Moore, 2006, Wonderlich, Gordon, Mitchel. Crosby & Engel, 2009; Dingemans, Bruna & van Furth, 2002; Hudson, Hiripi, Pope & Kessler, 2007).However, BED will appear in the DSM-V as a seperate diagnosis, which must result in an acknowledged and recognized psychiatric disorder. The lifetime prevalence of BED as classified in the DSM-IV is about 3 % among women and 2% among men (Hudson et al, 2007). Several studies (Kelly et al., 2007; Binford, Mussel, Peterson and Crow & Mitchell, 2004) found that psychosocial determinants such as low self-esteem, body dissatisfaction and depression may be risk factors of the disorder. Furthermore, Westerterp & Speakman (2008) described that environmental factors including stress, mood disorders, substance abuse, abandonment by parents, body weight-related harassment and demanding parents may enhance the development of BED.
Stress seems to amplify the rewarding properties of food, which may initiate or strengthen binge eating patterns (Striegel- Moore, Dohm, Kraemer, Schreiber, Taylor & Daniels, 2007). Binge eating episodes are comparable between individuals with BED and BN. A major difference between individuals with BED and BN is that individuals with BED do not have inadequate compensatory behaviors (vomiting, laxatives, excessive exercise and/or fasting), like individuals with BN (Dingemans et al, 2002). After a binge eating episode, people with BED often experience feelings of disgust, guilt and depression (American Psychiatric Association [DSM-IV-TR], 1994). The prevalence of BED seems to increase with the degree of obesity (Dingemans et al, 2002 & Dingemans & Van Furth, 2012). De Zwaan (2001) found that there was a strong correlation between BED and severe obesity.
Sources PART1
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Duchesne, M., Mattos, P., Appolinario, J.C., de Freitas, S.R., Coutinho, G., Santos & C., Coutinho, W. (2010). Assessment of executive functions in obese individuals with binge eating disorder. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria,. 32(4), 381-8
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Manwaring, J.L., Hilbert, A., Wilfley, D.E., Pike, K.M., Fairburn, C.G. Dohm, F-A. & Striegel-Moore, R.H. (2006). Risk factors and patterns of onset in binge eating disorder. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 39, 101-107.
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