Diagnosis is made based off of patient history and symptoms. Currently the diagnostic criteria for binge eating disorder includes:

• recurrent binging episodes of abnormally large amounts of food and feeling a lack of control

• patient concern over their own behavior
-the binging is associated with embarrassment, depression and guilt

• the behavior occurs at least two times a week for six months

• the patient does not attempt to purge with vomiting or another method, like someone with bulimia