Chapter 15 - Food addiction and its associations to trauma, severity of illness, and comorbidity

Abstract

The concept and phenomenon of food addiction (FA) has generated an upsurge of scientific interest and suggests major developmental, etiological, prevention, treatment, and social policy implications. In this chapter, the significant associations between FA (as defined by the Yale Food Addiction Scale), trauma, and psychiatric and medical comorbidities will be reviewed and discussed. Furthermore, it is argued that FA may be used as an indication for greater eating disorder (ED) and obesity severity, more severe trauma histories, greater symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and greater psychiatric and medical comorbidities. The recognition and acceptance of the concept of FA, when assimilated into an overall trauma-focused assessment and treatment approach, can be useful in comprehensive therapeutic planning. FA has the potential to bridge the conceptual gaps between EDs, obesity, addictions, PTSD, and other related psychiatric and medical comorbidities.