Case-Based Review

Binge-Eating Disorder: Prevalence, Predictors, and Management in the Primary Care Setting


 

References

CBTgsh also performed as well or better than individualized treatments in one study [133]. CBTgsh, IPT, and behavioral weight loss (BWL) were compared in a large study of 205 primarily white, obese or overweight individuals diagnosed with BED. The 3 treatments produced equivalent outcomes for binge eating at post-treatment, but BWL produced significantly greater weight loss. However, at 2-year follow-up, the CBTgsh and IPT groups had maintained treatment gains and were significantly superior to BWL in reductions in binge eating. The 3 groups were equivalent with regard to weight loss at the 2-year follow-up, and none reported clinically significant weight loss. Of note, as compared to the IPT and BWL groups, the CBTgsh group received 10 sessions as opposed to 20, received 25-minute sessions as opposed to 60-minute sessions, and were treated by providers with limited levels of experience as opposed to doctoral-level clinical psychologists.

To summarize, CBT is the most often studied type of self-help treatment. Both CBTsh and CBTgsh produced improvements in binge eating and associated psychopathology as compared to baseline and wait-list controls, and treatment gains were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Conclusions regarding the relative superiority of pure self-help or guided self-help are premature given the small number of studies and conflicting results.

In addition, limited information is available regarding moderators and predictors of guided self-help outcomes. Masheb and Grilo [163] performed a cluster analysis of the sample for the CBTgsh vs. BWLgsh described above [164] and identified 2 clinically significant subtypes: a dietary-negative affect subtype characterized by high restraint, low self-esteem, and depressive symptoms; and an overvaluation of weight and shape subtype. For both the CBTgsh and BWLgsh groups, the dietary-negative affect subtype experienced higher levels of binge eating frequency, and the overvaluation of weight and shape subtype experienced higher levels of ED-related psychopathology. Additionally, individuals receiving BWLgsh who experienced a rapid response to treatment reported lower BE frequency, greater weight loss, and higher restraint than participants without a rapid response [142]. In contrast, rapid response did not appear to affect outcomes for CBTgsh participants. Finally, the combination of low self-esteem and high ED-related psychopathology negatively affected BE remission rates for CBTgsh recipients [133].

Pharmacologic Treatment

Currently only one medication, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, has been FDA-approved for the treatment of BED. Previously approved for treating both adults and children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate is a central nervous system stimulant and has been found to significantly reduce number of binge days, with robust effect sizes [165]. Beyond this medication, the evidence for pharmacologic treatment of BED is limited. A recent review identified only 22 studies exploring the effects of pharmacologic treatment in a methodologically rigorous way (eg, double-blind placebo design) [4]. To date, a number of different medication classes have been evaluated, including antidepressants, anticonvulsants, stimulants, anti-obesity drugs, and others. Overall, there is some evidence that antidepressant and anticonvulsant agents are efficacious at reducing BE frequency [166,167] and sometimes effective regarding statistically significant weight loss [168,169]. However, the majority of results are generally disappointing, both with respect to reductions in binge eating and sustained weight loss [48,170,171]. In addition, there are serious limitations in the literature that must be considered, including the limited number of studies that address the high placebo response observed in clinical samples, limited follow-up windows, and inadequate multiplicitious confirmatory trials. Despite these limitations, the evidence base related to pharmacologic treatment is continuously evolving and represents an important future direction for the treatment of BED.

Pages

Recommended Reading

Psychological Distress and Cardiovascular Disease
Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management
Perfect Depression Care Spread: The Traction of Zero Suicides
Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management
Team Approach for Improving Outcomes in a Culturally Diverse Patient Population
Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management
Misuse of Prescription Stimulant Medication Among College Students: Summary of the Research Literature and Clinical Recommendations
Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management
Behavioral Health Problems in Medical Patients
Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Chronic Pain
Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management