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Review
. 2025 Aug 9.
doi: 10.1007/s11920-025-01630-8. Online ahead of print.

Interventions for Weight Management in Binge-Eating Disorder: Current Findings and Issues

Carlos M Grilo  1
Affiliations
Review

Interventions for Weight Management in Binge-Eating Disorder: Current Findings and Issues

Carlos M Grilo. Curr Psychiatry Rep. .

Abstract

Purpose of review: Binge-eating disorder (BED) is associated strongly with obesity and heightened rates of psychiatric, somatic, and psychosocial/functional impairments. BED is infrequently diagnosed or treated with empirically-supported interventions. This review covers weight management interventions for BED, with a specific focus on clinician-led behavioral lifestyle and/or pharmacological treatments; self-directed "dieting" and inappropriate weight-loss approaches are not considered.

Recent findings: Emerging research has provided further empirical support for behavioral lifestyle weight management (BLWM) for patients with BED at higher weights. Rigorous trials have reported outcomes that approximate those of specialist treatments such as CBT for reducing binge-eating and eating-disorder psychopathology plus also producing modest weight-loss. BED, obesity, and chronic medical conditions are associated strongly and attaining modest weight-loss can be an important consideration for patients with BED at higher weights and their clinicians. Recent research has supported the effectiveness of certain clinician-led BLWM interventions and addressed concerns regarding their benefits/risks.

Keywords: Behavior therapy; Binge eating; Eating disorders; Obesity; Pharmacotherapy; Weight loss.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Compliance with Ethical Standards: This review article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by the author. Potential Conflicts of Interest: Dr. Grilo declares no conflicts of interest. Dr. Grilo reports broader interests, which did not influence this research, including Royalties from Guilford Press for an academic book. Declarations: The author (Dr. Grilo) declares no conflicts of interest. Dr. Grilo reports broader interests, which did not influence this research nor the content of the manuscript. Dr. Grilo was supported, in part, by grant R01 DK114075 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), but that grant did not support the preparation of this manuscript, nor did the NIH play any role in the content of this paper. Dr. Grilo receives royalties from Guilford Press for an academic book, which is not covered nor mentioned in this manuscript. Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent: This article is a review of published literature. Preparation of this review article did not involve and human or animal studies.

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