A recent JAMA Network Open study assesses the effectiveness of web-based self-help interventions in alleviating binge eating disorder (BED). Study: Effectiveness of a Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Self-Help Intervention for Binge Eating Disorder. Image Credit: fizkes / Shutterstock.
com BED is defined as recurrent episodes of uncontrolled overeating that lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. Prolonged BED ultimately reduces the affected individuals' quality of life, negatively impacts social relationships, and compromises occupational performance. Thus, timely intervention is crucial to prevent BED progression to a chronic state that can lead to premature death.
Previous studies have demonstrated that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective BED intervention, as this treatment can effectively manage various psychiatric conditions, including bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. Nevertheless, several barriers, such as clinician unawareness, treatment costs, and sociocultural stigma, prevent many patients from seeking in-person psychotherapy . Rapid technological advancements have created new avenues to reduce these barriers and make BED treatments more accessible.
In fact, web-based cognitive behavioral interventions have recently gained significant popularity due to their ease of implementation, availability, reduced social stigma, and cost-effectiveness. Although preliminary and small-scale studies have indicated the benefits associated with web-based.