About 17.2 percent reported it on three or more days, according to a new report in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The findings strengthen the case for taking disordered eating seriously as a mental health treatment concern.
What the Study Found
Binge eating on three or more days was reported by 18.6 percent of female students and 15.9 percent of male students. Hispanic students reported 20.5 percent, multiracial students 19.6 percent and Black students 18.7 percent.
The Mental Health Connection
Students using social media hourly or more reported binge eating on three or more days at 22.8 percent. This was in comparison to 12.9 percent among those using it once a day or less.
Those reporting poor mental health hit 27.2 percent versus 14.0 percent. Students who had seriously considered suicide reported 27.1 percent versus 15.3 percent. All of these associations held for both boys and girls.
The Overlap With Substance Use
Binge eating and substance use may co-occur in adolescence, and both may travel with the same underlying conditions this report measured: depression, anxiety and hopelessness.
That overlap is why eating concerns may belong on the radar of anyone treating teen substance use, and why a young person showing signs of either may deserve screening for both.
Integrated programs that treat co-occurring conditions together produce better outcomes than addressing each in isolation, which is the same principle behind dual diagnosis care in addiction treatment.
What This Means for Treatment Seekers
Patterns matter more than a single bad day. Recurrent binge eating, meaning episodes at least weekly accompanied by a sense of lost control, warrants a conversation with a physician or mental health professional.
The report points to resources including SAMHSA’s National Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders at nceedus.org.
Exploring Treatment Options
Effective mental health treatment for disordered eating typically involves therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy adapted for eating disorders, sometimes alongside medication and nutritional support.
When binge eating co-occurs with depression, anxiety or substance use, integrated care that treats the full picture produces better outcomes than addressing each problem separately.
Rehab.com’s directory includes treatment centers that address co-occurring conditions for adolescents and adults. Call
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