Exercise for Binge Eating Disorder

Overseen By K. Jean Forney, Ph.D.

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Female

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Recruiting

Sponsor: Ohio University

Must be taking: Hormonal contraception

Must not be taking: GLP-1 agonists

Disqualifiers: Diabetes, Thyroid disease, Recent pregnancy, others

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This pilot study is a first step in looking at the relationship between exercise and appetite in women with loss of control eating.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but it does exclude those taking medications that acutely affect appetite. Psychiatric medications are allowed.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Fasted Exercise, Fasted Training, Fasted Cardio, Fasting Before Exercise, Fed Exercise, Fed State Training, Postprandial Exercise, Exercise After Eating, Rest, Restoril, Temazepam for Binge Eating Disorder?

Research shows that exercise can help reduce binge eating episodes and improve weight management in people with binge eating disorder. Adding exercise to conventional treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy can enhance outcomes, suggesting that physical activity is beneficial for managing this condition. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is exercise safe for people with binge eating disorder?

Exercise appears to be safe for people with binge eating disorder, as studies show it can improve symptoms and physical performance without any reported safety concerns. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

How does the treatment of exercise for binge eating disorder differ from other treatments?

This treatment is unique because it involves exercise performed in different states (fasted or fed) and rest, which can help manage binge eating disorder by potentially suppressing appetite and creating a negative energy balance, unlike traditional treatments that may not focus on the timing of exercise relative to meals. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for women who experience loss of control eating at least 12 times in the last three months, have a clinically significant eating disorder, meet minimum fitness levels, enjoy chocolate, and are on hormonal contraception. It's not for those underweight, recently pregnant or breastfeeding, with certain phobias or allergies, conditions affecting appetite/weight like diabetes or thyroid disease, or on appetite-affecting meds.

Inclusion Criteria

Be willing to eat study-provided foods

Engage in loss of control eating at least 12 times in the last three months

Clinically significant eating disorder-related impairment (CIA > 15)

Exclusion Criteria

BMI < 18.5 kg/m^2

Recent pregnancy or breastfeeding (prior 6 months)

Specific phobia, blood-injection-injury type

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Study Visits

Participants engage in various exercise and rest conditions with or without breakfast across multiple study visits

1 week

3 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for energy intake, lactate levels, and self-reported binge eating after exercise/rest visits

1-2 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Fasted Exercise (Behavioral Intervention)
• Fed Exercise (Behavioral Intervention)
• Rest (Behavioral Intervention)

Trial Overview The study explores how exercise affects appetite in women with uncontrolled eating by comparing their responses to exercising while fed versus fasted and resting without exercise. Participants will eat specific foods provided by the study during this process.

Participant Groups

Group I: Rest, Fed Exercise, Fasted Exercise Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

At Study Visit 2, participants will eat breakfast and rest (abstain from exercise). At Study Visit 3, participants will eat breakfast and exercise. At Study Visit 4, participants will abstain from breakfast and will engage in exercise.

Group II: Rest, Fasted Exercise, Fed Exercise Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

At Study Visit 2, participants will eat breakfast and rest (abstain from exercise). At Study Visit 3, participants will abstain from breakfast and will engage in exercise. At Study Visit 4, participants will eat breakfast and exercise.

Group III: Fed Exercise, Rest, Fasted Exercise Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

At Study Visit 2, participants will eat breakfast and exercise. At Study Visit 3, participants will eat breakfast and rest (abstain from exercise). At Study Visit 4, participants will abstain from breakfast and will engage in exercise.

Group IV: Fed Exercise, Fasted Exercise, Rest Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

At Study Visit 2, participants will eat breakfast and exercise. At Study Visit 3, participants will abstain from breakfast and will engage in exercise. At Study Visit 4, participants will eat breakfast and rest (abstain from exercise).

Group V: Fasted Exercise, Rest, Fed Exercise Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

At Study Visit 2, participants will abstain from breakfast and will engage in exercise. At Study Visit 3, participants will eat breakfast and rest (abstain from exercise). At Study Visit 4, participants will eat breakfast and exercise.

Group VI: Fasted Exercise, Fed Exercise, Rest Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

At Study Visit 2, participants will abstain from breakfast and will engage in exercise. At Study Visit 3, participants will eat breakfast and exercise. At Study Visit 4, participants will eat breakfast and rest (abstain from exercise)

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Ohio University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

73

Recruited

17,800+

Findings from Research

A meta-analysis of 5 randomized controlled trials involving 264 female participants found that exercise programs significantly improve symptoms of binge eating disorder (BED), with a large effect size (standardized mean difference of 0.94).

Both supervised and home-based exercise interventions were effective, suggesting that incorporating physical exercise into a comprehensive treatment plan for BED can be beneficial, although more research is needed to determine the best types of exercise for optimal results.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treating Binge Eating Disorder With Physical Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Raisi, A., Zerbini, V., Piva, T., et al.[2023]

In a 16-month study involving 114 obese women with binge eating disorder, those who added exercise to cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) showed significant reductions in binge eating frequency compared to those who only received CBT.

The group that combined CBT with exercise and maintenance achieved a 58% abstinence rate from binge eating and an average reduction of 2.2 BMI units (about 14 pounds), indicating that exercise and extended treatment duration improve outcomes for binge eating disorder.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exercise augments the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of binge eating. Pendleton, VR., Goodrick, GK., Poston, WS., et al.[2019]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treating Binge Eating Disorder With Physical Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. [2023]

2. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Binge Eating Disorder: What Is the Role of Physical Activity Associated with Dietary and Psychological Treatment? [2021]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exercise augments the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of binge eating. [2019]

4. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[The importance of movement-directed interventions in the multidisciplinary treatment of binge eating disorder: an overview]. [2018]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How to address physical activity and exercise during treatment from eating disorders: a scoping review. [2023]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Appetite, energy intake and resting metabolic responses to 60 min treadmill running performed in a fasted versus a postprandial state. [2012]