NYT: Survey Puts New Focus on Binge Eating as a Diagnosis

[Doondoo]

Binge eating is not yet officially classified as a psychiatric disorder. But it may be more common than the two eating disorders now recognized, anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

The first nationally representative study of eating disorders in the United States, a nationwide survey of more than 2,900 men and women, was published by Harvard researchers in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal Biological Psychiatry. It found a prevalence in the general population of 0.6 percent for anorexia, 1 percent for bulimia and 2.8 percent for binge-eating disorder.

Lifetime rates of the disorders, the researchers found, are higher in younger age groups, suggesting that the problem is increasingly common. Eating disorders are about twice as common among women as men, the study reports.

Experts not involved in the study called it significant. “This is probably the best study yet conducted of the frequencies of eating disorders in American households,” said Dr. B. Timothy Walsh, director of the eating disorders research unit of the New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University Medical Center.

“It confirms that anorexia nervosa and bulimia are uncommon but serious illnesses, especially among women,” Dr. Walsh said. “It also finds that many more individuals, especially those with significant obesity, are troubled by binge eating, and underscores the need to better understand this problem.”



http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/13/health/psychology/13eat.html?ref=science

[Katherine Brengle]

1. Hmm...

Interesting. I'd like to know their precise definition of binge eating as a disorder (I'll have to go check and see if the article says) -- if they're saying that eating a pizza by oneself is binge eating disorder, then bologna. If they're saying that feeling compelled to sneak out of the house at 3 am to eat 4 different meals at the drive thru is possible indicative of a binge eating disorder, I might be on board with that...

[Katherine Brengle]

2. K, read the article, not impressed.

Sorry but I am tempted to call bs on this one. I think a small percentage of cases might be legitimate psychological issues, but I think the vast majority of bige eaters just don't know when enough is enough.

I htink it can often be a sign of another problem, like they said (depression for instance) but imo that doesn't make it a disease in and of itseld, it makes it a symptom.

And frankly, obesity, and I don't care who doesn't agree with this, in the end, obesity is a choice for the vast majority of people, not a "disease" - it may cause a lot of disease, but it is completely avoidable.