Binge-eating disorder is characterized by binge eating without subsequent purging episodes. It contrasts to a condition like bulimia. Psychologically those with the condition have a sense of a lack of control over eating during the episode. Episodes tend to last around two hours, although this varies between individuals, with most episodes occurring at night.
The main finding is that people who suffer with binge-eating disorder have almost three-fold increased risk of additionally having an endocrine disorder. Moreover, those who are dealing with the eating disorder have an almost twice-fold elevated risk of developing a circulatory system disorder.
The report goes into further detail, selecting out individuals with higher body mass indexes. With those individuals who have binge-eating disorder who are classed as obese, this section have a 1.5-times higher chance of also having some form of respiratory disease. To add to this, obese individuals who are also binge eaters have close to a three-fold higher risk of suffering with a gastrointestinal disease. These rates compare to those not classed as obese.
Discussing the findings with the website Drug Store News, the lead researcher, Dr. Cynthia Bulik said: “We encourage clinicians to ‘have the conversation’ about binge-eating disorder with their patients. Accurate screening and detection can bring binge-eating disorder out of the shadows and get people the treatment they deserve.”
Dr. Bulik added: “Binge-eating disorder afflicts people of all shapes and sizes. The somatic illnesses that we detected were not simply effects of being overweight or obese.”
The research has been published in the journal International Journal of Eating Disorders. The research paper is titled “Binge-eating disorder in the Swedish national registers: Somatic comorbidity.”
In related news, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), last year, approved the medication lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, under the brand name Vyvanse, to treat moderate to severe binge eating disorder in adults. This is the first prescription drug specifically indicated for the condition.
