Obesity and overeating will not be listed as mental disorders in the latest addition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Diseases (DSM). However, the editors of the newest "physician's Bible" will add binge eating to their list of official eating disorders, according to Dr. Timothy Walch, who is chairing DSM work group in this area.
He said there is not enough hard evidence to support a psychiatric diagnosis for either overeating or obesity, noting "we have to follow the field, not lead it."
The DSM is used by physicians to diagnose and treat mental disorders. Anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and eating disorders not otherwise specified will be the only ones in the new edition of the book.
In order to be diagnosed as a binge eater, a person must have three of the following symptoms
- Eating more rapidly than normal.
- Eating until uncomfortably full
- Eating large amounts of food when not hungry
- Eating alone because of embarrassment about the amounts consumed
- Feeling disgusted, depressed or guilty after overeating episodes.
Dr. Walsh said they also loosened the criteria for anorexia. An anorexic can now be someone of "markedly low weight," rather than 85 percent of recommended body weight, and a lack of menstrual periods has been taken off the list of symptoms. A person can now be diagnosed as bulimic if purging episodes occur only once a week, as opposed to twice a week in the current DSM.
Labels: diagnosis, binge eating, dsm
Posted By: Jane St. Clair
