Binge eating and dietary restraint in obese patients.

The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and severity of binge eating among 432 women seeking behavioral treatment for obesity and to assess the relationship between binge eating and dietary restraint. Subjects completed standardized self-report questionnaires which assessed the severity of binge eating and habitual dietary restraint. Binge eating was extremely prevalent, with 46% of subjects reporting serious problems. Serious binge eating was more common in younger and heavier subjects. Further, binge eating severity was significantly related to overall dietary restraint. The current findings indicate that the treatments of binge eating may need to be considered in planning behavioral programs for the obese.