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The epidemiology and genetics of binge eating disorder (BED)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 August 2015

Caroline Davis
Caroline Davis*
Affiliation:
Kinesiology & Health Sciences, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
*
*Address for correspondence: Professor Caroline Davis, 343 Bethune College, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

This narrative review provides an overview of the epidemiology of binge eating disorder (BED), highlighting the medical history of this disorder and its entry as an independent condition in the Feeding and Eating Disorders section of the recently published Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Estimates of prevalence are provided, as well as recognition that the female to male ratio is lower in BED than in other eating disorders. Evidence is also provided of the most common comorbidities of BED, including mood and anxiety disorders and a range of addiction disorders. In addition, discussion of the viewpoint that BED itself may be an addiction — at least in severe cases — is presented. Although the genetic study of BED is still in its infancy, current research is reviewed with a focus on certain neurotransmitter genes that regulate brain reward mechanisms. To date, a focal point of this research has been on the dopamine and the μ-opioid receptor genes. Preliminary evidence suggests that a predisposing risk factor for BED may be a heightened sensitivity to reward, which could manifest as a strong dopamine signal in the brain’s striatal region. Caution is encouraged, however, in the interpretation of current findings, since samples are relatively small in much of the research. To date, no genome-wide association studies have focused exclusively on BED.

Keywords

BEDbinge eating disorderdopamine geneticsepidemiologyopioids
Type
Review Articles
Information
CNS Spectrums , Volume 20 , Special Issue 6: Binge Eating Disorder Differentiating from General Obesity , December 2015 , pp. 522 - 529
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2015 

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Footnotes

†

As early as 1955, a related syndrome was reported.5 Found in certain obese individuals, it was referred to as night-eating syndrome and was characterized by “nocturnal hyperphasia, insomnia and morning anorexia” (p. 78).5 This condition appeared to be most prominent during periods of stress and weight gain. The 1950s also saw a few isolated publications about so-called “food addiction” by Randolph,6 but this putative condition also did not gain widespread acceptance for another 30 or 40 years.

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