Medical Complications of Binge Eating Disorder

Abstract

Background: Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is the most prevalent eating disorder across all age groups. Objectives & Results: Estimates are that it is more common than anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Unfortunately, there are numerous psychiatric and medical co-morbidities associated with BED which will exert a heavy toll on health care expenditures. However, too often, BED and its relative medical co-morbidities are underdiagnosed by primary care physicians. Conclusion: The relationships between BED, Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, the Metabolic Syndrome components and other medical complications are reviewed here in order to increase awareness of this increasingly common eating disorder.