Binge eating disorder affects about 2-3% of adults in the US, making it the most common eating disorder. People with BED have recurring episodes of eating large amounts of food with a sense of loss of control, without the purging seen in bulimia. Current treatment includes therapy, medications like lisdexamfetamine, and support addressing underlying mood and impulse-control issues.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide and liraglutide, which reduce appetite and binge frequency in early studies. Researchers are also studying combinations of antidepressants with behavioral therapy, brain stimulation techniques, and digital interventions. The focus is on treatments that address both the eating episodes and the emotional drivers behind them.
GLP-1 receptor agonists
Drugs like semaglutide, already approved for diabetes and obesity, are showing promise in reducing binge episodes. Studies are testing whether these medications work better than existing options and how they compare to therapy.
Digital and app-based therapy
Smartphone apps delivering cognitive behavioral therapy are being tested as accessible alternatives to in-person treatment. These trials measure whether guided self-help can reduce binge frequency as effectively as traditional therapy.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on binge frequency, whether you're currently in treatment, body weight, and presence of other eating disorders or mental health conditions.
What types of trials are currently open
- Medication trials — Testing drugs that reduce appetite or improve impulse control, including GLP-1 agonists, antidepressants, and combinations of medications.
- Behavioral therapy trials — Comparing different forms of therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and interpersonal therapy, to see which works best for different people.
- Digital intervention trials — Testing apps, online programs, and virtual therapy to make treatment more accessible and measure how well they work compared to in-person care.
- Combination trials — Testing medication plus therapy together to see if combining treatments produces better results than either alone.
- Brain stimulation studies — Small trials of transcranial magnetic stimulation and other techniques targeting brain circuits involved in impulse control and reward.
Recently added Binge Eating Disorder trials
Track binge eating episodes using a digital or paper diary
The purpose of this study is to examine how binge eating episodes are recorded using two different diary formats: a paper diary and an electronic diary and to see whether both formats collect information in the same way and to understand which of the two formats is easier to use
Try cognitive therapy at different intensity levels for binge eating
The HALO trial is designed as a four-armed, assessor-blinded, fidelity-monitored randomized clinical trial. The goal of this randomized controlled study is to investigate the effectiveness of four different psychotherapy programs and to determine which one is most effective in reducing the number of binge-eating episodes in people with the eating disorder Binge Eating Disorder (BED), by directly comparing three intensities of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Enhanced against a manualized treatment as usual. Participants will be asked to complete a 21-weeks randomized intervention and participate in follow up assesments.
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