A new study offers hope for binge eaters -- people who frequently eat an unusually large amount of food in a short amount of time and feel their eating is out of control.
Research shows binge eating is the most common eating disorder in the country, afflicting millions.
"Some people are very distressed by their bingeing cycles and don't realize it's a treatable condition," says Lynn DeBar, one of the study's authors and a psychologist for Kaiser Permanente.
Researchers recruited 123 people, most of them women, average age 37, and all covered by a Kaiser Permanente health plan. They had at least one binge-eating episode a week. Half of the participants were given some basic healthy eating guidance information and alerted to the relevant health plan services.
The other half attended eight therapy sessions in which counselors taught them strategies outlined in Overcoming Binge Eating, a book that offers a six-step self-help program. Findings in April's Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology:
*After three months, 63.5% of those who received the therapy and the book had stopped bingeing, compared with 28% of the other group.
*At the end of a year, 64% of book-and-therapy patients had stopped bingeing vs. 45% of the others.
"Many binge eaters have given up hope that they could control their eating," says the study's lead author, Ruth Striegel-Moore, a professor of psychology at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. "They often think they have to go through extensive and expensive treatment, but for many, this plan is a simple, cost-effective first step."
People with binge-eating disorder are much more likely to be overweight and obese, and there is a high level of depression among them, DeBar says. They struggle with their weight, restrict food and then binge.
Striegel-Moore adds, "The entire act of eating feels forbidden and embarrassing, especially if they are out in public."
DeBar suggests binge eaters:
*Eat small meals every three to four hours to control hunger.
*Track food intake to help make better choices.
*Be aware of circumstances, including anxious and stressful times, that lead to binges.
*Find other activities (such as walking, gardening or talking to a friend) during times they are likely to binge.
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