Stimulant therapy for reducing binge eating and impulsivity in adults with binge eating disorder

Abstract

Background: Bulimia nervosa, anorexia, and binge eating are the three primary types of eating disorders, with binge eating being the most prevalent among adults. When compared to normal circumstances, a person consumes an excessive amount of food in a shorter period of time, indicating that they have little control over their eating habits. The most prevalent problem with this condition is the increase in body weight and increased risks of health problems, particularly because it is not a frequently discussed subject in the community. Stimulant therapy, such as the FDA-approved medication Lisdexamfetamine, is one type of treatment utilized for Binge Eating Disorder in adults. Research Question: In adults with Binge Eating Disorder, does stimulant therapy reduce the risks of bingeing and impulsivity? PICO Elements: The population included of adults with BED, the intervention was stimulant therapy, and the was comparison is no therapy. Therefore, the outcome was the efficacy of stimulants in reducing binging and impulsivity. Method: A systematic search was undertaken to locate studies using various electronic databases. The PICO framework was used to identify keywords and search terms. Once this was done, inclusion/exclusion criteria were established. Using the PRISMA framework, articles published within the past twenty years, performed on humans aged between 18 and 35 years, and published in the English language were included. Studies which did not include these or did not answer the PICO question were automatically excluded. The chosen four articles were then critically appraised. The CASP tool was used for the RCTs and the AMSTAR tool was used for the SRs. Results: The results of the two RCTs and the two SRs state that stimulant therapy is effective in treating BED. However, all authors state that further research still needs to be conducted. Implications and Recommendations: The need for future research with stronger methods, larger sample groups and having a longitudinal design. To further teach HCPs and adults about BED and how stimulant therapy can be used to treat this.