Binge eating disorder was officially designated as a formal diagnosis in the 5th edition of the Diagnositic and Statistical Manual published by the American Psychiatric Association in 2013. In the previous edition of the manual, (DSM-IV), the diagnosis was listed in Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) indicating that additional research was necessary.
With this official diagnosis and BEDA’s efforts to increase recognition of this under diagnosed and treated disorder, millions of people are now recognized and validated. It is a step forward for additional research, increased awareness and identification in the healthcare provider community, and additional hope for those who have struggled in the darkness of binge eating disorder.