Integrating a web-based intervention into routine care of binge-eating disorder: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Although binge eating disorder (BED) is the most common eating pathology and carries a high mental and physical burden, access to specialized treatment is limited due to patient-related barriers and insufficient healthcare resources. Integrating web-based self-help programs into clinical care for BED may address this treatment gap by making evidence-based eating disorder interventions more accessible. A two-armed randomized controlled trial will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based self-help intervention for BED in routine care settings. Patients aged 18–65 years fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for BED (N = 152) will be randomly allocated to (1) an intervention group receiving a 12-week web-based self-help program or (2) a waitlist control group with delayed access to the intervention. The primary outcome will be the number of binge eating episodes. Secondary outcomes include global eating pathology, functional impairments, work capacity, well-being, comorbid psychopathology, self-esteem, and emotion regulation abilities. Measurements will be conducted at baseline (study entrance), 6 weeks after baseline (mid-treatment), and 12 weeks after baseline (post-treatment). To capture outcomes and treatment mechanisms in real-time, traditional self-reports will be combined with weekly symptom monitoring and ecological momentary assessment. Evaluating the effectiveness of web-based interventions is essential to overcome the treatment gap for patients with BED. When adequately integrated into standard care, these programs have the potential to alleviate the high burden of BED for individuals, their families, and society. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04876183, Identifier: NCT04876183 (registered on May 6th, 2021). •Binge eating disorder is highly prevalent and associated with severe personal and societal costs as well as increased mortality.•However, less than one in six individuals meeting the diagnostic criteria receive treatment, increasing the chronicity and the burden of illness.•Integrating web-based programs into standard care could address this treatment gap and reduce the burden of binge eating disorder.•To provide low-threshold access to treatment for binge eating disorders, we will test the effectiveness of a web-based intervention in routine care settings.•Weekly reports and ecological momentary assessment will complement retrospective measures to obtain naturalistic eating pathology assessments with a high temporal resol