Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsProfessional ScreeningsLabs and TestsSelf/At-Home Testing
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Professional Screenings
Labs and Tests
Self/At-Home Testing
Binge eating disorder—sometimes referred to as compulsive overeating—is an eating disorder that involves a person eating large amounts of food in a short period of time, and feeling out of control when it comes to food and eating.
Binge eating disorderis considered the most common eating and feeding disorder in the United States, affecting about 3% of Americans—three times more common than anorexia and bulimia combined.
Binge eating disorder is diagnosed primarily through a discussion and evaluation of symptoms, but can involve physical examinations and diagnostic testing.
This article covers how binge eating disorder is diagnosed.
The process for determining if a person hasbinge eating disorderusually begins with a primary healthcare provider. The provider will use a number of tools to make a diagnosis and determine next steps.
DSM-5 Criteria
Binge eating disorder began to be recognized as a unique disorder in the fifth edition of theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-5).
Verywell / Jessica Olah
To be diagnosed with binge eating disorder, a person must meet the following criteria:
2 . Binge-eating episodes are associated with three (or more) of the following:
3 . Marked distress regarding binge eating is present.
4 . The binge eating occurs, on average, at least one day a week for three months.
5 . The binge eating is not associated with the regular use of inappropriate compensatory behavior (e.g., purging, fasting, excessive exercise) and does not occur exclusively during the course of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.
How Is the Severity of Binge Eating Disorder Determined?Severity is categorized as:Mild: 1 to 3 episodes per weekModerate: 4 to 7 episodes per weekSevere: 8 to 13 episodes per weekExtreme: 14 or more episodes per week
How Is the Severity of Binge Eating Disorder Determined?
Severity is categorized as:Mild: 1 to 3 episodes per weekModerate: 4 to 7 episodes per weekSevere: 8 to 13 episodes per weekExtreme: 14 or more episodes per week
Severity is categorized as:
In plainer terms, this means a person with binge eating disorder:
Physical Examination
People with binge eating disorder are not necessarily obese, and people with obesity do not necessarily have binge eating disorder. About half of people with binge eating disorder are considered obese.
It is impossible to determine if someone has binge eating disorder simply from their body shape, and the health complications from binge eating are not always obvious at a glance.
A physical health exam may also involve:
If necessary, a primary healthcare provider may give a referral to a mental health professional for further screening and/or treatment.
What’s the Difference Between Overeating and Binge Eating?While it is normal to occasionally eat more food than is considered typical, such as at a buffet dinner or a special occasion, people with binge eating disorder tend to have episodes of overeating more often than other people.They also feel that they are not in control of their eating, versus someone who is overeating simply because they are enjoying their meal.
What’s the Difference Between Overeating and Binge Eating?
While it is normal to occasionally eat more food than is considered typical, such as at a buffet dinner or a special occasion, people with binge eating disorder tend to have episodes of overeating more often than other people.They also feel that they are not in control of their eating, versus someone who is overeating simply because they are enjoying their meal.
While it is normal to occasionally eat more food than is considered typical, such as at a buffet dinner or a special occasion, people with binge eating disorder tend to have episodes of overeating more often than other people.
They also feel that they are not in control of their eating, versus someone who is overeating simply because they are enjoying their meal.
What Are the Best Ways to Stop Overeating?
These tests might include:
Men and Binge Eating
While 40% of people with binge eating disorder are male, men and boys are often left out of the discussion when it comes to eating disorders.
While not a substitute for a professional assessment, there are at-home screening tools that can help determine if binge eating disorder is likely and if an appointment with a healthcare provider should be made to discuss further.
PsyCom has anonline questionnairethat involves answering questions with a rating on a scale from “never” to “very often.” Once the test is completed, it is submitted with one click for an instant result calculation.
Mind Diagnostics offers asimilar online test.
The National Eating Disorders Association has a more indepth online questionnaire used to determine if someone has or is at risk for an eating disorder.
If any of these tools indicate you may be experiencing binge eating disorder, book an appointment to discuss your symptoms with a healthcare provider.
Getting HelpIf you or someone you know is struggling with eating disorders or body image issues, you can reach out to theNational Alliance for Eating DisordersHelpline at 1-866-662-1235. The helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST and offers emotional support, education, and assistance finding eating disorder treatment and care.
Getting Help
If you or someone you know is struggling with eating disorders or body image issues, you can reach out to theNational Alliance for Eating DisordersHelpline at 1-866-662-1235. The helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST and offers emotional support, education, and assistance finding eating disorder treatment and care.
Summary
A Word From Verywell
While binge eating disorder is the most common eating and feeding disorder in the United States, it is still not well understood.
Criteria for diagnosing binge eating disorder may seem unclear to you. If your eating behavior and your feelings surrounding food and eating are negatively impacting you, see your healthcare provider, even if you don’t appear to meet the formal criteria for binge eating disorder.
Binge eating disorder can be managed, and getting a diagnosis is the first step.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hudson JI, Hiripi E, Pope HG Jr, Kessler RC.The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.Biological Psychiatry. 2007;61(3):348-358. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.03.040Berkman ND, Brownley KA, Peat CM, et al.Table 1, DSM-IV and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for binge-eating disorder.Cleveland Clinic.Binge eating disorder.Sangha S, Oliffe JL, Kelly MT, McCuaig F.Eating disorders in males: how primary care providers can improve recognition, diagnosis, and treatment.Am J Mens Health. 2019;13(3). doi:10.11772F1557988319857424
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hudson JI, Hiripi E, Pope HG Jr, Kessler RC.The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.Biological Psychiatry. 2007;61(3):348-358. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.03.040Berkman ND, Brownley KA, Peat CM, et al.Table 1, DSM-IV and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for binge-eating disorder.Cleveland Clinic.Binge eating disorder.Sangha S, Oliffe JL, Kelly MT, McCuaig F.Eating disorders in males: how primary care providers can improve recognition, diagnosis, and treatment.Am J Mens Health. 2019;13(3). doi:10.11772F1557988319857424
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Hudson JI, Hiripi E, Pope HG Jr, Kessler RC.The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.Biological Psychiatry. 2007;61(3):348-358. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.03.040Berkman ND, Brownley KA, Peat CM, et al.Table 1, DSM-IV and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for binge-eating disorder.Cleveland Clinic.Binge eating disorder.Sangha S, Oliffe JL, Kelly MT, McCuaig F.Eating disorders in males: how primary care providers can improve recognition, diagnosis, and treatment.Am J Mens Health. 2019;13(3). doi:10.11772F1557988319857424
Hudson JI, Hiripi E, Pope HG Jr, Kessler RC.The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.Biological Psychiatry. 2007;61(3):348-358. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.03.040
Berkman ND, Brownley KA, Peat CM, et al.Table 1, DSM-IV and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for binge-eating disorder.
Cleveland Clinic.Binge eating disorder.
Sangha S, Oliffe JL, Kelly MT, McCuaig F.Eating disorders in males: how primary care providers can improve recognition, diagnosis, and treatment.Am J Mens Health. 2019;13(3). doi:10.11772F1557988319857424
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