[Prevalence of binge eating disorder among a clinical sample of obese children]

Introduction: Binge eating disorder is characterised by the presence of recurrent binge eating episodes in a short period of time, accompanied by loss of control. This disorder is the most frequent of all eating disorders in obese people, both adults and children.

Objective: The objective of this study was to obtain prevalence data for binge eating disorder in a sample of obese children who attended a paediatric unit specialised in the treatment of childhood obesity.

Material and methods: A sample included 70 children and adolescents aged 9 to 16, with a mean age of 12 years attending a paediatric clinic in the General Hospital of Valencia. The following tools were used in the assessment: Diagnostic Interview for Binge Eating Disorder (SCID-IV), Binge Eating Disorder Scale Child (C-BED) and Questionnaire of eating patterns and weight (QEWP).

Results: After the assessment, 6% of the clinical sample was diagnosed with binge eating disorder according to criteria established by the DSM-IV-TR, and 14% showed subclinical forms of the disorder.

Conclusions: The results are in line with previous studies that highlight the necessity of assessing these disorders in units specialised in the treatment of obesity.