Binge-eating disorder is a familial disorder caused in part by factors distinct from other familial factors for obesity. Furthermore, these BED-specific familial factors may independently increase the risk of obesity, especially severe obesity. It follows that targeted interventions capable of preventing or treating traits influenced by these BED-specific familial factors could reduce the public health burden of obesity.

The literature offers support for the use of agents from three categories of medication (antidepressants, appetite suppressants, and anticonvulsants) in the treatment of BED.

These findings suggest that binge eating disorder is at least as chronic as the well-validated disorders anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa and likely represents a stable syndrome.