Binge eating disorder is best described as:

• A. A habit of eating in small portions to control weight
• B. An eating disorder in which people overeat compulsively
• C. A pattern of starving yourself to lose weight
• D. A disorder characterized by fear of food

Answer: (B)

The key idea is recognizing what binge eating disorder looks like: it involves recurrent episodes of eating large amounts of food in a short time with a sense of loss of control and distress about the behavior. Saying it’s an eating disorder in which people overeat compulsively captures both the quantity of food and the lack of control that define the condition. It isn’t about eating tiny portions to control weight, nor about starving yourself to lose weight, nor about a fear of food.