A cross-sectional study on the correlates of food addiction symptoms in adolescents seeking treatment for obesity: eating attitudes and gender differences

Abstract

Background and Objectives Multidisciplinary approach including psychiatric support, have come to the fore in the treatment of obesity. Food addiction and disordered eating behaviors are among major psychiatric problems that have important effects on both clinical manifestation and response to treatment. This study aimed to investigate correlates of food addiction among adolescents who are seeking treatment for obesity. Method This study included 126 adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age, 48 patients in the “study group” who are seeking treatment for obesity (BMI for age greater than 95th percentile) and 78 adolescents (BMI for age under 85th percentile) in the “control group” who were reached via online survey. All participants were requested to complete self-report based measurement tools of Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) and Eating Attitude Test-40 (EAT-40). Results 47.9% adolescents (n = 23) in the study group met food addiction diagnosis according to diagnostic evaluation of YFAS; which was significantly higher than 5.1% (n = 4) adolescents in the control group (p < 0.001). EAT-40 total scores and the scores in subscales of “anxiety of gaining weight,” “dieting,” and “thin body preoccupation” were significantly higher in the study group. Gender differences were observed when food addiction symptoms were correlated with eating attitudes among the study group. Conclusions Comparing to the controls, food addiction and disordered eating behaviors were more common in adolescents seeking treatment for obesity. Gender differences in the correlates of food addiction symptoms imply that different approaches might be needed for psychological interventions.