Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterized by episodic uncontrollable eating, or ‘binges’, in absence of compensatory behaviours such as purging or laxative use. Binges are often associated with feelings of guilt or shame, and BED has a high comorbidity with anxiety and depressive disorders. Current treatment for BED involves manualized cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT). Structured CBT interventions have shown to decrease symptoms of BED, however very few individuals receive treatment due to inaccessibility. Thus, online programs have been proposed as a means of reaching a wider audience before more intensive support is required (Wyssen et al., 2021).
The treatment program BED-Online involved eight weeks of online treatment groups, followed by three ‘booster’ sessions six months after treatment. These sessions were self-guided with the support of a therapist, and progress was measured through weekly questionnaires regarding frequency of binge episodes, other eating disorder symptoms, and general mood. Overall, participants were highly satisfied with the treatment offered, despite dropout rates being comparable with other BED treatment protocols. Furthermore, preliminary treatment outcomes suggest the online CBT based program was effective in decreasing primary and secondary eating disorder symptoms, although more research is required to produce a definitive conclusion.
Citation:
Wyssen, A., Meyer, A. H., Messerli, B. N., Forrer, F., Vanhulst, P., Lalanne, D., & Munsch, S. (2021). Bed‐online: Acceptance and efficacy of an internet‐based treatment for binge‐eating disorder: A randomized clinical trial including waitlist conditions. European Eating Disorders Review. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/10.1002/erv.2856
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