Binge Eating Among the Obese

Binge eating is a prevalent problem among obese individuals, affecting 20–46% of participants in behavioral weight control programs. Preliminary evidence suggests that the binge behaviors of obese individuals and normal- weight bulimics are similar in the types and quantity of food consumed during binges and the duration of episodes. However, obese bingers report a lower frequency of binges, and purge behavior is less prevalent. When obese bingers are compared to obese non-bingers, consistent differences in diet attitudes and behavior and self-reported psychiatric symptomatology are observed. Retrospective studies have suggested that obese bingers have a poor treatment outcome, whereas the only prospective study found no long-term differences in weight loss between obese bingers and non-bingers. However, bingers may be more likely to drop out of treatment than non-bingers, and differences between bingers and non-bingers in diet, attitudes, and behaviors appear to persist despite treatment. Future research is needed to enhance our understanding of binge eating in obesity and to identify effective treatments for clearly identified sub-groups of the obese population.