Abstract
Research on the concept of food addiction (FA) has steadily grown and, based on a widely used self-report, FA is estimated to affect between 16–20% of the adult population. However, there are few interventions available for people with self-reported FA, and their efficacy is unclear. The primary aim of the review was to examine the efficacy of different interventions, including behavioural/lifestyle, medication and surgical approaches, for reducing symptoms and/or changing diagnosis of FA among adolescents and adults. A secondary aim was to examine the influence of sex as a moderator of intervention effects. A systematic search was performed from 2008–2020 to identify studies that used the YFAS to assess the effectiveness of interventions on FA. Nine studies were identified (n = 7 adults, n = 2 adolescents) including a total of 812 participants (range 22–256) with an average of 69% females per study. The types of interventions included medications (n = 3), lifestyle modification (n = 3), surgical (n = 2) and behavioural (n = 1), with FA being assessed as a secondary outcome in all studies. Five studies in adults reported a significant reduction in FA symptoms or diagnosis from pre to post-intervention, two when compared to a control group and three in the intervention group only. Efficacious interventions included: medication (combination of naltrexone and bupropion, as well as pexacerfont), bariatric surgery and lifestyle modification. No significant changes in FA were reported in adolescent studies. Given few studies were identified by the review, there is insufficient evidence to provide clear recommendations for practice; however, some interventions show potential for reducing self-reported FA outcomes in adults. Future research should explore the longer-term efficacy of interventions and the effectiveness of treatments with sufficient sample sizes.
Highlights
Food addiction (FA) is characterised by diminished control over the consumption of certain foods, which persists despite growing negative health consequences [1,2]
The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) has the ability to provide a categorisation of food addiction (FA), it is important to note that the DSM does not recognise FA as a diagnosable condition and, it is not included in the DSM
This review systematically examined the effectiveness of intervention treatments for adolescents and adults with FA as reported by the YFAS tool
Summary
Food addiction (FA) is characterised by diminished control over the consumption of certain foods (e.g., hyper-palatable energy-dense foods), which persists despite growing negative health consequences [1,2]. FA is often accompanied by symptoms characterised by a sense of loss of control, continued use regardless of adverse consequences and inability to reduce consumption despite the desire to do so [1,6]. Developed and validated in 2009 and revised in 2016, the YFAS is a self-report tool designed to assess FA symptoms adopted from the diagnostic and statistical manual for mental disorders (DSM) criteria for substance-use disorders [6,12]. The YFAS provides two scoring options including a FA symptom score and diagnosis [5].
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