What Is the Treatment for Binge Eating Disorder?
Managing binge eating disorder involves a structured, guideline-supported approach. The primary clinical goal is reduction of binge-eating episodes, and multiple international guidelines converge on how that goal is pursued.
Clinical Goal
Reduction of binge-eating episodes, at least in the short term.
Treatment Approach
Guidelines consistently support pharmacological treatment used in conjunction with psychological therapy — pharmacological agents are not recommended as a sole intervention. Specific medication classes with guideline-backed evidence for reducing binge-eating frequency are included in the structured protocol.
Full agent selection, sequencing, and supporting evidence remain in the complete protocol below.
References
DOI: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000360
- The use of antidepressants was generally recommended by three guidelines (Australia and New Zealand, Spain, the United States).
- These three guidelines and three other guidelines (Germany, The Netherlands, WFSBP) consistently made a specific recommendation in favor of SSRIs for reducing binge-eating episodes, at least in the short-term.
- For TCAs, only the WFSBP recommended their use, particularly imipramine.
- For anticonvulsants, three guidelines (Australia and New Zealand, the United States, WFSBP) consistently recommended the use of topiramate, while the remaining guidelines did not report on it.
- Two guidelines explicitly made a recommendation for pharmacological treatment in conjunction with psychological therapies (Australia and New Zealand, the United States).
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