countries, including the United States, Cana da, many European countries, Australia, and
New Zealand. In the United States, the prevalence of binge-eating disorder appears com-
parable among non-Latino whites, Latinos, Asians, and African Americans.
Functional Consequences of Binge-Eating Disorder
Binge-eating disorder is associated with a ra nge of functional consequences, including so-
cial role adjustment problems, impaired health-related quality of life and life satisfaction,
increased medical morbidity and mortality, an d associated increased health care utiliza-
tion compared with body mass index (BMI)–ma tched control subjects. It may also be as-
sociated with an increased risk for weig ht gain and the development of obesity.
Differential Diagnosis
Bulimia nervosa. Binge-eating disorder has recurrent binge eating in common with bu-
limia nervosa but differs from the latter disord er in some fundamental respects. In terms of
clinical presentation, the recurrent inapprop riate compensatory behavior (e.g., purging,
driven exercise) seen in bulim ia nervosa is absent in binge-eating disorder. Unlike in-
dividuals with bulimia nervosa, individuals wi th binge-eating disorder typically do not
show marked or sustained dietary restriction designed to influence body weight and
shape between binge-eating episodes. They may, however, report frequent attempts at
dieting. Binge-eating disorder al so differs from bulimia nervosa in terms of response to treat-
ment. Rates of improvement ar e consistently higher among individuals with binge-eating
disorder than among those with bulimia nervosa.
Obesity. Binge-eating disorder is associated  with overweight and obesity but has
several key features that are distinct from ob esity. First, levels of overvaluation of body