Diagnostic Criteria: DSM-IV
A. Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode is characterized by:
1. Eating a larger amount of food than normal during a short period of time (within any two hour period)
2. Lack of control over eating during the binge episode (i.e. the feeling that one cannot stop eating).
B. Binge eating episodes are associated with three or more of the following:
1. Eating until feeling uncomfortably full
2. Eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry
3. Eating much more rapidly than normal
4. Eating alone because you are embarrassed by how much you're eating
5. Feeling disgusted, depressed, or guilty after overeating
C. Marked distress regarding binge eating is present
D. Binge eating occurs, on average, at least 2 days a week for six months
E. The binge eating is not associated with the regular use of inappropriate compensatory behavior (i.e. purging, excessive exercise, etc.) and does not occur exclusively during the course of bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa.
From the DSM-IV, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, Washington D.C.: American Psychiatric Association, 1994.
Risks of binge eating disorder
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