The development of hunger and fullness during a laboratory meal in patients with binge eating disorder.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to test the hypothesis that, compared to similarly obese participants without BED, individuals with BED have a disturbance in the development of fullness and reduction of hunger during the course of a standard meal of large size.

METHOD: Thirteen patients with BED and 14 obese control participants consumed 975 g of a milkshake. Participants received no information about how much they had eaten or how much of the meal remained to be consumed. Participants were interrupted after every 75 g consumed to rate hunger and fullness.

RESULTS: Final fullness ratings were higher in patients with BED, but there were no differences in mean duration or mean rate of eating, or in changes in subjective ratings of hunger and fullness per gram of food.

DISCUSSION: The current study reports the surprising finding of no difference in reports of hunger and fullness between patients with BED and obese controls.