Binge Eating: Short-Term Program Has Long-Term Benefits

A new study finds that a self-guided, 12-week program helps binge eaters stop binging for up to a year and the program can also save money for those who participate. Recurrent binge eating is the most common eating disorder in the country, affecting more than three percent of the population, or nine million people, yet few treatment options are available.

But a first-of-a-kind study conducted by researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Wesleyan University and Rutgers University found that more than 63 percent of participants had stopped binging at the end of the program – compared to just over 28 percent of those who did not participate. The program lasted only 12 weeks, but most of the participants were still binge free a year later. A second study, also published in the April issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, found that program participants saved money because they spent less on things like dietary supplements and weight loss programs.

“It is unusual to find a program like this that works well, and also saves the patient money. It’s a win-win for everyone,” said study author Frances Lynch, PhD, MSPH, a health economist at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research. “This type of program is something that all health care systems should consider implementing.” Read more

Food Attitudes Affect Obesity Risk In Middle Aged Women

A small study of middle-aged women finds that “guilt-ridden dieters,” impulsive eaters and those too busy to focus on food are the most likely to show signs of obesity.

Half of women fit into two other categories, the study says, and were found to be the least likely to be leaning toward fat. Both types of women in those groups are concerned about nutrition and like to eat healthy.

“The basic attitude that people have about food is related to the likelihood that they’re at risk for obesity and weight gain,” said researcher Dennis Degeneffe, a study co-author.

The study, which appears in the December issue of the journal Health Education & Behavior, placed 200 women into five groups based on their attitudes about food. The women had an average age of 46, were well-educated (two-thirds had a four-year degree or higher) and 86 percent were white.

The researchers then compared the groups of women by measurements such as percentage of body fat, waist size and body mass index (BMI). Read more

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