Binge Eating Disorder Diagnosis

Identifying eating disorders can be challenging, since secrecy, shame and denial are characteristics of the diseases. As a result, the illness can go undetected for long periods of time. In most cases, binge eating disorder is discovered when a person requests professional help with weight loss, or seeks treatment for an obesity-related health problem.

If cases of suspected binge eating disorder, the doctor will begin an evaluation by performing a complete medical history and physical examination. Although there are no laboratory tests to specifically diagnose eating disorders, the doctor might use various diagnostic tests, such as X-rays and blood tests, to rule out physical illness as the cause of the symptoms.

If no physical illness is found, the person might be referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist, health care professionals who are specially trained to diagnose and treat mental illnesses. Psychiatrists and psychologists use specially designed interview and assessment tools to evaluate a person for an eating disorder.