Current practise used to identify and manage binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa in primary care in the UK: a national survey

Journal article

Background

Our previous review highlighted that limited knowledge and understanding of Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and Bulimia Nervosa (BN) amongst primary care professionals may negatively impact their identification and management. Whilst UK guidelines provide some guidance on identification and management, it is currently unknown what, if anything, is actively implemented in practice.

Aim

To map current practices used in primary care in the UK to identify and manage BED/BN.

Design & setting

An online mixed-method survey focused on primary care settings.

Method

A combination of convenience and purposive sampling was used for recruitment. The sample comprised healthcare professionals (HCPs) working in primary care and individuals with lived experience (LE) of BED/BN aged 16+years. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

Results

Of 598 respondents, 347 (58%) were HCPs, 251 (42%) were individuals with LE. Up to 74.3% of HCPs reported not actively screening for BED/BN. SCOFF questionnaire was reported to be the most used standardised tool for identifying potential BED/BN. HCPs reported referral as the main way of managing BED/BN, while LE participants reported using self-help as the main way of managing BED and referral for BN. Differences in practices between BED/BN are reported among HCPs and LE, such as identification practices, as are differences in HCP and LE perspectives, such as ways to manage BED.

Conclusion

There are considerable variations in primary care practice for identifying and managing BED/BN. Providing clear guidelines for both HCPs and patients should be prioritised to ensure consistent care delivery.

Authors: Kozmér, S; Smith, JR; Burns, A; Lawrence, NS; van Beurden, S

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Royal College of General Practitioners
• Journal: British Journal of General Practice Open
• Pages: BJGPO.2026.0032-BJGPO.2026.0032
• Publication date: 2026-04-02
• DOI: 10.3399/bjgpo.2026.0032
• EISSN: 2398-3795
• ISSN: 2398-3795
• Language: English
• Keywords: Nonprobability sampling; Referral; Descriptive statistics; Thematic analysis; Primary care; Identification (biology); Bulimia nervosa; Binge-eating disorder