Newest Study: Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is America's #1 Eating Disorder

The first national study of individuals with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) was released by the Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy and Action on February 13, 2007. It revealed that Binge Eating Disorder is now the nation's most common eating disorder (www.collegian.psu.edu). The study showed that almost 4 percent of Americans suffer from this disorder, more than twice that of bulimia or anorexia (www.collegian.psu.edu).

A person with BED may: (as quoted from www.helpguide.org)

· eat an unusually large quantity of food even when they are not really hungry

· keep eating until they are uncomfortably full

· eat alone or in secret because they are ashamed or embarrassed

· eat or graze continuously without ever feeling satiated

· eat when they are stressed or unsure of how to cope with emotional challenges

· feel unable to control what or how much they are eating

· feel disgusted, depressed, or guilty after overeating

· may develop another eating disorder-bulimia-as a way to counteract the effects of bingeing

Mark Lerro, executive director of the Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy and Action "It appears that with binge eating, it's a different kind of mechanism in the brain compared to anorexia, which is like an obsessive compulsive process," Lerro said. "The typical behavior is that someone will eat until they are physically uncomfortable and continue eating without sense of satisfaction" (www.collegian.psu.edu). This study also found a link between BED and other unhealthy behaviors such as alcohol and drug abuse and sexual promiscuity (www.collegian.psu.edu). BED can lead to health consequences, such as obesity, depression, personal distress and guilt, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, and other conditions that go along with overweight (www.helpguide.org).