Food insecurity has been found to be associated with greater risks of binge-eating and binge eating disorder. This is one of the main reasons that low SES individuals tend to report more binge-eating, but it is also reported among those who had restricted food access in childhood due to abuse or neglect.

Food Insecurity and Binge Eating Disorder Risk

Low SES individuals are at greater risk of binge eating disorder than high SES individuals and report more binge-eating.

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Several risk factors have been found to be associated with an increased likelihood of developing binge eating disorder:

- Minority status(es)
- Low socioeconomic status
- Trauma/violence
- Body dissatisfaction
- Comorbid psychiatric conditions

Binge Eating Disorder Risk Factors

Keski-Rahkonen, A. (2021). Epidemiology of binge eating disorder: Prevalence, course, comorbidity, and risk factors. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 34(6), 525-531.

Epidemiology of Binge Eating Disorder: Prevalence, Course, Comorbidity, and Risk Factors

Sexual minority status appears to be associated with a greater likelihood of developing binge eating disorder. One meta-analysis found that only 0.8% of heterosexual research participants met binge eating disorder criteria, in contrast to 2.2% of non-heterosexual participants.

Sexual Minority Status and Binge Eating Disorder Risk

Research has found that Black women are at greater or equal risk of developing binge eating disorder than white women. However, binge eating disorder is a growing issue that continues to affect more populations. Furthermore, racial minorities with binge eating disorder are less likely than white BED patients to seek help or treatment.

Racial/Ethnic Minority Status and Binge Eating Disorder Risk

Childhood trauma and other traumatic events are associated with a greater risk of the development of binge eating disorder. Emotional, physical, and sexual abuse are often reported by binge eating disorder patients, especially among college-aged women in the United States. Those who experienced and witnessed violence, especially weight-related bullying and violence, are also at increased risk of the disorder. Furthermore, many patients report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, indicating that binge-eating serves as a coping mechanism for traumatic stressors.

Trauma/Violence and Binge Eating Disorder Risk

Body dissatisfaction; excessive concern over one's body, weight, or figure; and internalized idealization of thinness not only increase the risk of binge eating disorder development, but also are associated with more severe global impairment. Those who are overweight and have a history of dieting are thus at greater risk of the disorder.

Body Dissatisfaction and Binge Eating Disorder Risk

Those with pre-existing psychiatric condition(s) are at greater risk of binge eating disorder. For example, high-risk groups such as war veterans display a greater number of eating disorder symptoms and have higher rates of BED than the general population. Furthermore, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder patients similarly have higher-than-normal rates of BED, and alarmingly high rates (18.7%) of subthreshold BED, often as a result of prescribed atypical antipsychotics, specifically clozapine and olanzapine.

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