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What is binge-eating disorder?
Binge-eating disorder is characterized by episodes of eating food in a larger amount than normal in a short duration of time. The yearly prevalence rate for binge-eating disorder in the United States is 1.6% in women and 0.6% in men.
What does binge-eating disorder look like?
Risk Factors
- May have a genetic component
Prognosis
- Individuals typically report greater functional impairment, lower quality of life, and more subjective distress
- Common psychiatric comorbidities: bipolar disorders, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders
- Common medical comorbidities: obesity, diabetes, hypertension, chronic pain
Differential Diagnosis
- Bulimia nervosa
- Obesity
- Anxiety disorders
- Kleine-Levin syndrome
- Depressive disorders
- Bipolar disorders
- Borderline personality disorder
How is binge-eating disorder investigated?
- Labwork for metabolic workup
- Physical exam focused on medical issues related to obesity
Screening/Scale | Rater | Description |
Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale (EDDS) | Client | 22-item scale that screens for several eating disorders |
How is binge-eating disorder treated?
Medication should not be used alone as a treatment option.
- Some evidence of efficacy for lisdexamfetamine, sertraline, fluoxetine, and topiramate
References
[1] American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA.
[2] Boyd, M. A. (2019). Psychiatric & mental health nursing for Canadian practice. Wolters Kluwer.
[3] Townsend, M. C. (2015). Psychiatric mental health nursing. F.A. Davis.