ABSTRACT
Objective of review. The literature for the period 2004–2005 was reviewed in order to identify studies of the treatment for binge eating disorder (BED).
Summary of recent findings. There is further evidence for the position that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the best-established intervention for BED. There is further evidence for the effectiveness of therapist guided self-help CBT (CBTgsh) for BED. Little controlled pharmacological research on BED was published, and the recent findings did not change the view that there is “limited evidence” for the clinical superiority of medication over placebo for BED. There is further evidence that dietary restriction provided as part of a comprehensive obesity program does not exacerbate binge eating and may provide short-term benefit. Research has yet to establish conclusively the relative effectiveness of behavioral weight loss treatments over other psychological treatments. Producing weight loss in this patient group has been difficult to achieve.
Future directions. Studies comparing specialized psychological treatments with behavioral weight loss treatments are needed as are additional studies of pharmacological approaches with follow-up assessments. Studies of treatment mediators and moderators are lacking and represent a pressing research need. Additional studies of treatment effectiveness and delivery of treatments by nonspecialist clinicians are needed. Such studies would inform dissemination of evidence-based interventions.
