Examining Self-Weighing Behaviors and Associated Features and Treatment Outcomes in Patients with Binge-Eating Disorder and Obesity with and without Food Addiction.

Ashley A Wiedemann,Carlos M Grilo,Marc N Potenza,Ralitza Gueorguieva,Valentina Ivezaj

doi:10.3390/nu13010029

Ashley A Wiedemann, Carlos M Grilo + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13010029

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Journal: Nutrients	Publication Date: Dec 23, 2020
Citations: 6	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Yale University, Connecticut Mental Health Center

Abstract

Food addiction (FA) has been linked to clinical features in binge-eating disorder (BED) and obesity. A feature of behavioral weight loss (BWL) treatment involves frequent weighing. However, little is known regarding how frequency of self-weighing and related perceptions are associated with BWL outcomes among individuals with BED and obesity stratified by FA status. Participants (n = 186) were assessed with the Eating Disorder Examination before and after BWL treatment. Mixed effects models examined FA (presence/absence) before and after (post-treatment and 6- and 12-month follow-up) treatment and associations with frequency of weighing and related perceptions (reactions to weighing, sensitivity to weight gain and shape/weight acceptance). Participants with FA reported more negative reactions to weighing and less acceptance of shape/weight throughout treatment and follow-ups, and both variables were associated with greater disordered eating at follow-ups among participants with FA. Sensitivity to weight gain decreased over time independent of FA status. Frequency of weighing was associated with a greater likelihood of achieving 5% weight loss only among those without FA. Reactions to weighing and sensitivity to weight gain are associated with FA and poorer treatment outcomes in individuals with BED and obesity. Targeting these features may improve BWL outcomes among individuals with BED, obesity and FA.

Highlights

Changes in the food environment have led to greater exposure to obesogenic foods and a “toxic food environment” [1].These changes have been posited to contribute to increased rates of obesity; there is considerable debate surrounding whether these types of foods have addictive properties [2,3]
Numerous studies find that food addiction is associated with behaviors/conditions linked to poorer health, including disordered eating, binge-eating disorder (BED) and obesity [6,7,8,9]
Consistent with some of treatment; our study was with patients with and comorbid our hypotheses, our findings suggest multiple differences in shape and weight concerns obesity between individuals with and without food addiction, including a stronger negative reaction related to the prospect of weekly weighing, as well as poorer acceptance of shape and weight throughout treatment among those with food addiction

Summary

Introduction

Changes in the food environment have led to greater exposure to obesogenic foods (i.e., highly palatable, processed, relatively low in cost) and a “toxic food environment” (i.e., the modern food environment encouraging consumption of a diet high in fat and calories) [1]. These changes have been posited to contribute to increased rates of obesity; there is considerable debate surrounding whether these types of foods have addictive properties [2,3]. Despite significant work in the past two decades examining the prevalence and clinical correlates of food addiction, few studies have examined the clinical utility of food addiction, and notably there is a scarcity of research investigating individuals with food addiction while receiving evidence-based treatments [12]

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