Appetite monitoring in the treatment of Binge Eating Disorder

Twenty-nine women meeting criteria for Binge Eating Disorder (BED) were randomly assigned to Appetite Awareness Training (AAT; an 8-week cognitive-behavioral intervention) or a wait-list control. The goal of AAT is to establish an eating pattern in which: (a) the individual responds primarily to moderate (rather than strong) hunger and fullness cues; and (b) eating in response to non-appetite cues is minimized. The intervention uses an innovative form of self-monitoring based on appetite ratings rather than recording food intake. Compared to controls, AAT participants reported significantly greater reductions in both binge eating and overeating episodes; they did not report increased hunger nor did they gain weight. They also reported decreased urges to eat in several high-risk situations, and decreased symptoms of depression and social anxiety. Results provide initial support for the effectiveness of a form of cognitive behavior therapy utilizing appetite monitoring (AAT) and suggest that additional investigation of this intervention is warranted.