Approximately 3-6 percent of women in the general population meet full criteria for binge eating disorder (BED). Individuals who suffer with BED for extended periods of time not only develop the emotional distress, which accompanies eating disorders, but are also at risk for obesity. Providing intervention to individuals before the typical onset of BED (onset typically occurs between 19 and 26 years old) may be an effective method of avoiding the long-term negative effects of this eating disorder. The objective of the proposed study is to develop a prevention program for college students at risk for developing eating disorders, in particular, binge eating problems. The prevention program will be based on Appetite Awareness Training (AAT), a treatment focused on retraining eating in response to appetite cues which was developed specifically for individuals with BED. The primary goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of AAT in preventing the escalation of eating disordered symptoms in individuals with subclinical BED. This will be accomplished by comparing AAT to a standard psychoeducational program for eating disorders at 5 points: post-intervention and 6-, 12-, 24-, and 36-month follow ups. If successful, the prevention program could help individuals at risk for binge eating problems avoid the development of full syndrome BED as well as weight gain.
