What is BED eating disorder?

Binge-eating disorder (BED) is a common, serious eating disorder in which a person has episodes of uncontrolled eating, or binging. During a binge, people rapidly eat a large amount of food, often until they feel uncomfortably full. They may eat quickly, alone, and until they feel sick. The binges may be triggered by stress, boredom, negative emotions, or certain situations. People with BED may feel a need to eat to cope with their emotions. Some people with BED may also restrict food intake after binging, leading to a cycle of severe restriction followed by binge eating. Unlike bulimia nervosa, people with BED do not typically use vomiting, excessive exercise or other compensatory methods to try to “undo” binge eating. As a result, people with BED are more likely to be overweight or obese. Binge-eating disorder can lead to health problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Early detection and treatment of BED is important to help manage these potential complications.