COVID-19 induced gaming disorder and food addiction perpetuating adolescent obesity: a report on three cases

Abstract

This report aims to describe three male adolescents with obesity who had emerging food addiction and gaming disorder during COVID-19 related school-closure period. These patients applied to our outpatient clinic with similar complaints of problems controlling their eating and gaming behaviors that were leading to decreased physical activity and increased body weight. Body measurements were obtained and evaluated according to nationally adapted age norm values. Psychiatric assessment of the patients included Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia diagnostic interview for psychiatric disorders, Yale Food Addiction Scale for food addiction, and International Classification of Diseases-11 criteria for gaming disorder. Although symptom profiles differed among the cases, all three of them were diagnosed with food addiction, gaming disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The vicious cycle of gaming and eating caused difficulty in the management of obesity. Reward deficiency states induced by COVID-19 related lifestyle changes are thought to be the common underlying cause of emerging addictive behaviors for these adolescents. Psychiatric disorders including behavioral addictions related to COVID-19 must be carefully evaluated for young patients who are seeking treatment for obesity. Treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder might be important for improving children and adolescents’ mental and physical health during COVID-19.