​​Binge Eating Disorder (BED) & Bulimia Nervosa (BN) in primary care​

Summary

​​Around 1.25 million people suffer from eating disorders (EDs) in the UK. Of these, 41% suffer from either Binge Eating Disorder (BED) or Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and numbers continue to rise. Unfortunately, healthcare professionals working in primary care settings, like GP practices, do not always recognise when patients struggle with BED/BN. This may be due to a lack of knowledge about the conditions or awareness of what this might look like, possibly resulting from lack of, or inadequate, training. If BED and BN are not identified and treated early, they can lead to serious physical and mental health problems, such as conditions affecting the gut, heart and blood vessels, or potentially diabetes and depression

​We aim to improve the identification and management of BED and BN.

​To do this, we will first explore via surveys, patient and health professional experiences about what primary care settings are currently doing in the UK, if anything at all, to identify and manage BED/BN. This will help us to build our understanding of current practice and where, and possibly how, patient (and health professional) needs are or are not being met. We will then use this understanding, and by working closely with patients and health professionals in focus groups and an interactive workshop, to inform the development of specific recommendations for practice.

​The NIHR BioResource offers a unique opportunity to invite a diverse range of individuals with BED/BN to increase the likelihood of recruiting not only a representative sample, but also to increase the chances of reaching those with particular demographic characteristics which tend to be underrepresented in ED research (e.g., men, people of colour). The NIHR BioResource allows this research to reach as many individuals as possible, creating a more comprehensive, detailed and realistic view of the current approach in primary care.​