Table 1.

DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Binge Eating Disorder (307.50)

Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following: 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 The 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) 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 along because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating Feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty after overeating Marked distress regarding binge eating is present The binge eating occurs, on average, at least 2 days a week for 6 months Note: The method of determining frequency differs from that used for bulimia nervosa; future research should address whether the preferred method of setting a frequency threshold is counting the number of days on which binges occur or counting the number of episodes of binge eating The binge eating is not associated with the regular use of inappropriate compensatory behavior (e.g., purging, fasting, excessive exercise, etc.) and does not occur exclusively during the course of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa