Diagnosis and prevalence of eating disorders in obesity

Binge eating disorders (BED) among obese individuals are best conceptualized as diagnoses "in evolution." The optimal criteria that win provide a clinically significant differentiation between those whose binge eating is severe enough to be diagnosed with an eating disorder from those who do not requires additional studies. Many individuals who do not meet criteria for BED fail to do so because their frequency of binge eating does meet the admittedly arbitrary cutoff of two days weekly, although some studies find little difference between those with subthreshold BED and those with more meet full criteria.(9.43) The type and frequency of inappropriate compensatory behaviors separating BED from non-purging bulimia nervosa (NBN), and better definition of the type and amount of food constituting a binge episode are also important areas for additional research. The recognition that eating disorders present fairly frequently in obese individuals seeking treatment provides the practitioner with the opportunity to better identify the heterogeneous factors that may impact on the development and maintenance of obesity. Such recognition may lead to more targeted and effective treatments for obese individuals.