Does binge eating disorder impact weight-related quality of life?

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether binge eating disorder (BED) impacts weight-related quality of life in obese individuals seeking weight loss treatment and to investigate the role of psychological symptoms, BMI, and demographic variables in the relationship between BED and weight-related quality of life. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Three hundred seventeen women (BMI = 37.6) and 213 men (BMI = 41.3) completed questionnaires on admission into an intensive residential lifestyle modification program. Weight-related quality of life was assessed using the Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite (IWQOL-Lite). The presence of BED was determined using the Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns-Revised. Psychological symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory and the global severity index of the Symptom Checklist 90-R. RESULTS: BED prevalence in this sample was 17.9%. Participants with BED, in comparison with those without BED, were more likely to be women (75.8% vs. 5