The associations between IGF-II expression and body weight, the possible actions of IGF-II on the hypothalamus (satiety center), and finally our previous demonstration of the various physiological activities of different IGF-II isoforms (mature being more biologically potent) led us to postulate that women with BED, independently of the presence of obesity would display abnormal processing of IGF-II when compared with healthy controls. This evidence concerns the gene IGF2 and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.