One of the conditions described within the EDNOS category, Binge-Eating Disorder (BED) is characterized by eating large amounts of food in a brief period time (binge eating) and loss of control. However, unlike Bulimia Nervosa, in BED, there is no behavior intended to rid the body of the effects of the binge. Binge Eating Disorder can result in significant emotional and physical distress. Some symptoms include:

• Eating much more rapidly than normal
  
  
• Eating until feeling uncomfortably full
  
  
• Eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry
  
  
• Eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating
  
  
• Feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or guilty after overeating
  

Criteria for Provisional Diagnosis of Binge-Eating Disorder

Binge Eating Disorder is considered a provisional diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). The following criteria are outlined:

1. Recurrent episodes of binge eating

• eating, in a discrete period of time (e.g., within any 2-hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances;
  
  
• a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g., a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating).

2. The binge-eating episodes are associated with three (or more) of the following:

• eating much more rapidly than normal
  
  
• eating until feeling uncomfortably full
  
  
• eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry
  
  
• eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating
  
  
• feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed or very guilty after overeating

3. Marked distress regarding binge eating is present

4. The binge eating occurs, on average, at least 2 days a week for 6 months

5. The binge eating is not associated with the regular use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors (e.g. purging, fasting, excessive exercise) and does not occur exclusively during the course of Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa.

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