The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Binge Eating Disorder: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The aim of this systematic review was to synthesise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on binge eating disorder (BED) the new onset and course. Inclusion criteria: original articles and BED diagnosis; and the main outcomes: relationships between the COVID-19 pandemic and the new onset/clinical changes in BED, and specific results for BED. Exclusion criteria: mixed/inaccurate diagnoses and articles not written in English. We searched four databases and one registry until 5 May 2023. The quality appraisal was conducted using the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) tool. Twelve studies with 4326 participants were included. All studies were observational with nine cross-sectional and three longitudinal. Four of the included studies investigated new-onset BED, while eight examined the BED clinical course of patients with a previous diagnosis. With the exception of one study, the available literature indicates both an increase in BED diagnoses and a clinical worsening during COVID-19. Major limitations include study quality (weak-to-moderate) and high heterogeneity in terms of pandemic phase, population, geographical areas, and psychometric tools. Our findings indicate that BED patients are particularly vulnerable to events characterised by social distancing and over-worry, and should be, therefore, carefully monitored. Further studies are needed to corroborate our findings, implement preventive strategies, and promote personalised treatments. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023434106

Validation and Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Binge Eating Scale in Young Adults

“… 44 But remarkably, it is important to consider different research time points when explaining this new model of binge-eating problems, especially in the aftermath of a global pandemic such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has revealed a significant impact on the onset and course of BED. 45 In one of our earlier studies published in 2018 (prior to the COVID-19 outbreak), we identified 85 individuals (8.4%) with binge-eating problems using the SCBES among a group of 1013 Chinese young adult college students aged 18 to 24 years. 24 However, in the present study with a similar but larger sample collected in 2021 (after the outbreak), we detected binge-eating problems among 254 individuals (11.6%) out of the 2182 college students ( Table 1 ), representing an increase of 3.2% in the incidence rate compared to the earlier study.…”

“…It is believed that the COVID-19 pandemic and related confines including social restrictions and lockdown have promoted dysfunctional eating behaviors and worsened binge-eating episodes, in which affective symptoms and a sense of lack of control are specific salient features. 45 Thus, more attention should be paid to different comparative studies conducted before, during, and after the COVID-19 when investigating the dynamic course of BED and factorial models of the BES.…”

Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Patients with Binge Eating Disorder and Obesity: What the Endocrinologist Needs to Know

“…Indeed, many results suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a widespread negative effect on EDs in patients and in the general population [3]. A systematic review synthesizes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on BED new onset and course, in particular after the introduction of restrictive measures to reduce the infection (lockdown), confirming its negative impact [4].…”

Short- and long-term effects of Covid-19 pandemic on health care system for individuals with eating disorders

“…These increases in eating disorder symptoms were observed across all groups of Anorexia Nervosa (AN; 2 ), Bulimia Nervosa (BN; 2 ), Binge-Eating Disorder (BED; 2 ), and Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED; 2 ) patients ( 6 ). As for the post-lockdown period, some studies have indicated improvements in ED symptoms ( 13 ), while others have reported worsening symptoms post-lockdown, such as increased binge eating ( 14 ). By definition, ED encompass a wide range of conditions, which are intricate and multifaceted, requiring a structured, often long-term approach to treatment and care.…”