Validity and utility of the current definition of binge eating

OBJECTIVE: Binge eating, a cardinal symptom of bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED), continues to pose challenges in terms of its definition and thus construct validity and clinical utility. This article reviews the available empirical data that support or refute the current DSM-IV-T...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The International journal of eating disorders 2009-12, Vol.42 (8), p.674-686
Main Authors: Wolfe, Barbara E, Baker, Christina Wood, Smith, Adrian T, Kelly-Weeder, Susan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
anorexia
anorexia nervosa
binge
Binge eating
binge eating disorder
binge episode
Binge-Eating Disorder - classification
Binge-Eating Disorder - diagnosis
Bulimia
Bulimia - classification
Bulimia - diagnosis
bulimia nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa - classification
Bulimia Nervosa - diagnosis
Clinical outcomes
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
eating disorder
Eating disorders
Feeding Behavior - classification
Humans
Medical diagnosis
Medical prognosis
Medical research
Surveys and Questionnaires
Systematic review
Validation studies
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Summary:OBJECTIVE: Binge eating, a cardinal symptom of bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED), continues to pose challenges in terms of its definition and thus construct validity and clinical utility. This article reviews the available empirical data that support or refute the current DSM-IV-TR defined characteristics of a binge episode. METHOD: A systematic literature review was conducted using Medline/PubMed electronic database on DSM-IV-TR defined binge characteristics and associated attributes. RESULTS: Data support the current DSM guidelines indicating that binge episodes typically occur in less than 2 h. Size of binge episodes has variability across BN and BED diagnostic groups. Loss of control (LOC) continues to be a core feature of binge eating. Negative affect is the most widely reported antecedent. Strikingly, little is known about binge episodes among individuals with anorexia nervosa-binge/purge subtype. DISCUSSION: Available empirical evidence supports the current DSM duration and LOC attributes of a binge episode in BN and BED. However, a more controversial issues is the extent to which size is important in the definition of a binge episode (e.g., subjective vs. objective episodes) across diagnostic categories and the extent to which binge size informs prognosis, treatment, and clinical outcomes. Further study of binge eating attributes in AN is needed. © 2009 American Psychiatric Association. Int J Eat Disord 2009
ISSN:0276-3478
1098-108X
DOI:10.1002/eat.20728