Effect of a very low calorie diet on the diagnostic category of individuals with binge eating disorder

Objective: This study examined the factors associated with the diagnostic outcome of obese individuals with and without binge eating disorder (BED) 1 year after completing a very low calorie diet (VLCD) program. Method: Participants included 63 individuals with BED, 36 individuals with subthreshold BED, and 29 individuals with no binge eating symptoms. Diagnoses before and after VLCD were obtained using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) interviews. The severity of psychiatric symptoms were assessed using various rating scales. Results: Fifty-six percent (n = 36) of the participants who met criteria for BED at baseline did not meet diagnostic criteria 1 year later. None of the baseline factors were statistically associated with outcome. Discussion: Although the main hypothesis was not supported, absence of a BED diagnosis at 12-month follow-up after a VLCD diet appears to be associated with less weight gain at 1-year follow-up regardless of baseline diagnosis.