United States: Previous research has indicated that binge eating disorder might not endure long, but a more thorough examination of the condition reveals that to be untrue.
According to Kristin Javaras, an assistant psychologist in the Division of Women’s Mental Health at McLean Hospital in Boston and the study’s primary author, “the big takeaway is that binge-eating disorder does improve with time, but for many people it lasts years.”
Duration Misconceptions
In a hospital news release, she stated, “As a clinician, the clients I work with oftentimes report many, many years of binge-eating disorder, which felt very discordant with studies that suggested it was a transient disorder.” The duration of binge-eating disorder and the likelihood of relapse are critical factors to comprehend in order to improve care.
Study Results
People with binge eating disorder, which usually appears in their mid-20s, believe they have no control over their eating. It is estimated that between 1 and 3 percent of adult Americans suffer with the illness.
At the 2.5 years of mark the 61% of the people in the study still met the criteria for a binge eating disorder, and rest 23% had the symptoms” all also they feel shy of an actual binge eating disorder diagnosis the researchers said.
The majority of research participants still satisfied the criteria for having a binge-eating problem after five years, however some had improved, according to the study’s authors.
Research Insights
According to Javaras’ research, even among individuals who were in remission at 2.5 years, 35% had a full-blown binge-eating disorder five years later.
While many had improved, the majority of patients still experienced episodes of binge eating at the five-year mark.
The results were released in the journal Psychological Medicine on May 28.
Although treatment programs may help prevent eating disorders, not everyone has access to them, according to earlier research, according to Javaras.