Research over the last few decades has shown that a sub-group of overweight individuals have an abnormal eating pattern best characterized by discrete binge eating episodes. The presence of binge eating episodes in obese individuals is associated with increased rates of psychopathology, social dysfunction, early onset obesity, and greater severity of obesity. However, recent research suggests that binge eating can be effectively treated in obese individuals using certain forms of psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioral techniques, and certain antidepressant drugs, strategies that have also been shown to be useful in suppressing binge eating in individuals of normal weight with bulimia nervosa. Certain self-help techniques have also been shown to be quite useful in improving binge eating symptoms and in encouraging healthy eating behavior in individuals with disordered eating. Our research groups have demonstrated the utility of a self-help manual in working with individuals with bulimia nervosa and most recently the utility of a group self-help approach in targeting binge eating behavior in overweight individuals with binge eating. Therefore, as an extension of our prior research, and given the preliminary data that will be reported in the application, we propose to study the utility of treatments targeting binge eating in obese individuals who binge eat through a random assignment, parallel study wherein subjects who satisfy inclusion criteria will be assigned to one of 6 conditions: 1) manual-based self-help targeting binge eating without therapist involvement; 2) supervised manual-based self-help; 3) group self-help therapy, without contact with a psychotherapist; 4) group therapy delivered partially through videotapes and partially with therapist leadership; 5) a traditional therapist-led group psychotherapy, and 6) a wait list control to control for the effects of time and the non-specific effects of being involved in the protocol. Of note, the materials presented in the five treatment arms will be essentially identical, but are written for self-help vs. audio-visual vs. therapy presentation based on the treatment assignment. This protocol is not designed to test a weight loss strategy, but instead to focus on strategies for binge-eating. Such strategies could then be administered in combination with, or sequentially with, various weight loss strategies (e.g., behavioral, pharmacologic) in those who are overweight. Treatments for weight loss are currently undergoing significant evolution with the introduction of two new pharmacologic agents in the last 18 months. We believe that to attempt to address both strategies for binge eating and strategies for weight loss in this study would make it overly complex. The result of this study could inform the design of trials to treat both binge-eating and promote weight loss.
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