The researchers also found, contrary to other studies, that earlier onset of obesity did not necessarily lead to a greater severity of eating problems as adults. Jackson said the study might be useful to clinicians treating persons with binge eating disorder because it highlights the importance of experiences that might not otherwise be considered. Although the researchers said they could not address the question of how teasing might contribute to the development of binge eating disorder, they did speculate that teasing or being made fun of could influence attitudes that people develop about themselves, their bodies and their body image. These researchers are currently conducting two treatment studies for obesity and binge eating at the Yale School of Medicine . These studies are funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Donaghue Medical Research Foundation.
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