Interventions for Weight Management in Binge-Eating Disorder: Current Findings and Issues

Binge-eating disorder (BED) is associated strongly with obesity and heightened rates of psychiatric, somatic, and psychosocial/functional impairments. BED is infrequently diagnosed or treated with empirically-supported interventions. This review covers weight management interventions for BED, with a specific focus on clinician-led behavioral lifestyle and/or pharmacological treatments; self-directed "dieting" and inappropriate weight-loss approaches are not considered.

Emerging research has provided further empirical support for behavioral lifestyle weight management (BLWM) for patients with BED at higher weights. Rigorous trials have reported outcomes that approximate those of specialist treatments such as CBT for reducing binge-eating and eating-disorder psychopathology plus also producing modest weight-loss. BED, obesity, and chronic medical conditions are associated strongly and attaining modest weight-loss can be an important consideration for patients with BED at higher weights and their clinicians. Recent research has supported the effectiveness of certain clinician-led BLWM interventions and addressed concerns regarding their benefits/risks.