Treatment response in obese binge eaters: preliminary results using a very low calorie diet (VLCD) and behavior therapy.

The present study compared the treatment response of male and female obese binge eaters and nonbinge eaters attending a university-based weight reduction program employing a very low calorie diet (VLCD) and concurrent behavior therapy. Twenty-nine percent of female patients (n = 19) and 22% of male patients (n = 6) were characterized as binge eaters based on their scores on the Binge Eating Scale. No significant differences were found between binge and nonbinge groups on measures of weight loss, adherence to the diet, or drop-out rate, although a trend towards greater attrition in the binge group (32%) relative to the nonbinge group (17%) was noted. However, binge eaters had significantly higher pretreatment levels of trait anxiety, state anxiety, and depression as well as higher within treatment levels of anxiety and depression despite significant reductions in depression over the course of treatment. Further examination revealed a binge status X sex interaction effect on state anxiety. Binge-eating females had significantly higher anxiety levels pretreatment and throughout the 10 weeks of the study. No differences between binge and nonbinge males on levels of anxiety were found. These preliminary results tentatively suggest that a VLCD in conjunction with behavior therapy may be an effective method of weight loss for this segment of the obese population, but that elevated levels of anxiety persist in female patients. Future studies must address the long-term maintenance of weight loss in this population as well as other treatment strategies.