Classroom Management

Binge eating disorder should be included in the upcoming DSM
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Binge eating disorder should be included in the upcoming DSM


Introduction
Binge eating disorder is defined by Corsini (1999) as “a recurrent disorder in which a person ingests large quantities of food, often without regard for what it is. The condition is mostapt to occur after a stressful event” (p. 110). Binge eating disorder is listed in the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) DSM-IV-TR under “Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS)” (APA, 2000, p. 787). An individual diagnosed with EDNOS eating large amounts of food in a short amount of time, loss of control during the binge episode, eating rapidly, eating until feeling uncomfortablyfull, eating when not hungry, being embarrassed about eating, and feeling guilty or depressed after overeating. There is no compensatory behavior present with binge eating disorder (APA, 2000).
Criteria for BED and binges of individuals with bulimia nervosa are different. The major difference between the two is that there are no recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviors used to preventweight gain in binge eating disorder, such as use of laxatives, self-induced vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise. Individuals with bulimia nervosa compensate for the binge by engaging in some or all of these behaviors (APA, 2000, p. 594). Cooper and Fairburn (2003) suggested that criteria for binges in bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder should be the same. Their study gave reviseddiagnostic criteria for binge eating disorder. These criteria should be present for the preceding 3 months and include:
During these binges the individual should feel an immediate sense of loss of control, rather than when looking back at the binge. The episodes should be distinguishable from all other forms of overeating. Binge eating episodes cannot include three or more episodes ofself-induced vomiting or laxative misuse after dietary restriction (p. S93).
These criteria clarify the frequency of binge eating in a more distinct way than the DSM-IV-TR. Wilfley, Bishop, Wilson, and Agras (2007) also proposed that the DSM-V needs to add binge eating disorder as an official diagnosis and unify “the frequency and duration cut-points for bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder toonce per week for three months” (p. S123). In a study comparing subjects with binge eating disorder to those with bulimia nervosa, Raymond, Mussell, Mitchell, de Zwaan, and Crosby (1995) age-matched 35 individuals with BED to 35 individuals with bulimia nervosa to study significant pathology, distress, and age of onset in individuals with both disorders. Participants were given fivequestionnaires in order to gather information on disordered eating, psychopathology, depression, and anxiety.
Raymond et al. (1995) reported that individuals with bulimia nervosa had lower body mass index, were more afraid of becoming fat, and were more uncomfortable with their binge behaviors than those with BED. This study also noted that age of onset for binge eating disorder was younger (14.3years) than that of bulimia nervosa (19.8 years). Both groups started dieting around the same age, 15.0 years for those with binge eating disorder and 16.2 years for those with bulimia nervosa.
These researchers looked at weight history and personality-related characteristics in both populations and discovered that participants with BED were older and had a longer duration of illness, a largerweight cycling (losing and gaining weight numerous times with large changes in weight, usually 50 pounds or more), a higher current and previous body mass index, and a lower score for the temperament characteristic of persistence than the bulimia non-purging individuals. Another similar characteristic in both was psychiatric comorbidity including depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse,...