The most common eating disorder: bingeing

Researchers at Harvard have found that binge-eating disorder (BED) is more common than anorexia and bulimia nervosa combined. It’s the most common eating disorder in the United States.
Binge eating is defined as single bursts of uncontrolled eating that last less than two hours and occur at least twice a week. Because of its association with obesity, it is a major public health problem. About 30 percent of cases are male.
Symptoms may go back to childhood, where cases begin as early as age 8. In his new book, The Good Eater: The True Story of One Man’s Struggle With Binge Eating Disorder, Ron Saxon says secret eating and unexplained weight gain are symptoms of BED. Evenings are when binge eaters most often lose control.
Saxon left his career as a model when pressure to be thin was too much. Previously, he was able to hide the disorder, but then he gained almost 120 pounds.
The condition has no proven cause, but is linked with depression and anxiety. Therapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy, (nacbt.org) can help.