Food Addiction Group Research Articles

Factors affecting food addiction: emotional eating, palatable eating motivations, and BMI.

Evaluating the factors leading to adult food addiction should shed light on potential preventive and treatment strategies for obesity and eating disorders. This research aimed to assess the relationship between food addiction, emotional eating, palatable eating motivations, and the factors that affected them. Five hundred twenty-two adults participated in this descriptive, cross-sectional study in Erzurum, Turkey. Participants completed a questionnaire that included a general information form, anthropometric measurements, Palatable Eating Motives Scale (PEMS), Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), and Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ). In total, 181 (34.7%) men and 341 (65.3%) women participated in the study. While 24.7% were overweight or obese, 65.7% had normal BMI (body mass index). Food addiction (FA) was determined in 18.2% of the participants. The FA group had significantly higher PEMS and EEQ scores (p < .001). The risk of FA was 3.18 times higher in women than in men (95% CI = 1.65, 6.13, p = .001). Significant positive associations between FA, BMI (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.00, 1.11, p = .021), and EEQ (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.23, 1.38, p = .000) were found. Emotional eating behavior and palatable eating motivations are more common in individuals with food addiction than nonfood addiction. Female gender, emotional eating, and high BMI values were determined as risk factors for food addiction.

Reactive hypoglycemia in binge eating disorder, food addiction, and the comorbid phenotype: unravelling the metabolic drive to disordered eating behaviours

BackgroundImpaired metabolic response such as blood glucose fast fluctuations may be hypothesized in binge eating disorder (BED) and food addiction (FA) by virtue of the repetitive consumption of highly processed food. Conversely, rapid changes in plasma glucose (i.e., hypoglycemia) may trigger craving for the same food products. The investigation of early glycemic disturbances in BED and FA could enhance the understanding of the metabolic mechanisms involved in the maintenance of the disorders. Present study investigated hypoglycemia events during a 5-h-long oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in people with BED, FA, and the comorbid phenotype. Further, the association between the severity of eating psychopathology and the variability in hypoglycaemia events was explored.MethodsTwo-hundred participants with high weight and no diabetes completed the extended OGTT and were screened for BED, FA, BED-FA, or no-BED/FA. The four groups were compared in hypoglycemia events, OGTT-derived measures, and eating psychopathology. The association between predictors (eating psychopathology), confounders (demographics, metabolic features), and the outcomes (hypoglycemia, early/late hypoglycemia, severe hypoglycemia, reactive hypoglycemia) was examined through logistic regression.ResultsHypoglycemia in general, and reactive hypoglycemia were highly frequent (79% and 28% of the sample, respectively). Hypoglycemia events (< 70 mg/dL) were equally experienced among groups, whilst severe hypoglycemia (< 54 mg/dL) was more frequent in BED at the late stage of OGTT (5 h; χ2 = 1.120, p = .011). The FA and BED groups exhibited significantly higher number of reactive hypoglycemia (χ2 = 13.898, p = .003), in different times by diagnosis (FA: 210′–240′; BED: at the 270′). FA severity was the only predictor of early and reactive hypoglycemia.ConclusionsPeople with BED or FA are prone to experiencing reactive hypoglycemia; FA severity may predict early and symptomatic hypoglycemia events. This can further reinforce disordered eating behaviours by promoting addictive responses, both biologically and behaviourally. These results inform professionals dealing with eating disorders about the need to refer patients for metabolic evaluation. On the other hand, clinicians dealing with obesity should screen for and address BED and FA in patients seeking care for weight loss.

Binge eating disorder and food addiction occurrences among adult Jordanian women with obesity

Introduction: The aim of the study was to estimate the occurrences of binge eating disorder (BED) and food addiction (FA) in Jordanian women with obesity and to explore their relationships with selected potential risk factors for obesity. Methods: A descriptive case series design that involved a total of 842 women with obesity was conducted. The occurrences of BED and FA were evaluated using the Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns-5 (QEWP-5) and Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0). Results: The overlapping of BED and FA (BED+FA) was the most frequent category constituting 53.7%. The second highest category was BED comprising 25.0%, followed by FA comprising 9.0%. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were significantly higher in the BED+FA group as compared to all other groups. The FA group (41.3%) had significantly the lowest level of sleeping hours. BED (58.0%) and BED+FA (66.1%) groups were significantly higher in consuming more than three snacks per day. BED and/or FA-free group had significantly higher level of water intake of &gt;5 cups/day. Conclusions: The frequencies of BED and FA were relatively high among obese Jordanian women. The study demonstrated an overlap between BED and FA, highlighting its associations with increased BMI and WC in a selected sample of obese women. The study suggested that BED, FA, and the overlapping of both conditions were associated with greater tendencies towards an unhealthy pattern of eating practices, fluid intake, and sleeping habits.

Food addiction and binge eating disorder are linked to shared and unique deficits in emotion regulation among female seeking bariatric surgery

BackgroundProblematic eating behaviors can indicate obesity-related problems. Food addiction (FA) is not classified as an official diagnosis. However, given the many commonalities between FA and binge-eating disorder (BED) within the context of obesity, it is imperative to conduct a comparative investigation. The current study aimed to identify overlapping and distinctive features in emotion dysregulation as an underlying mechanism and emotional eating as a clinical feature among four groups of females with obesity seeking bariatric surgery.MethodsData on emotion dysregulation and emotional eating were derived from the total 128 Females with obesity seeking bariatric surgery (Mage = 38.91 ± 10.59, MBMI = 42.10 kg/m2 ± 4.43) divided into four groups: those with FA (n = 35), BED (n = 35), BED + FA (n = 31) and a control group of individuals with obesity only (OB; n = 27), using well-established measures.ResultsRegarding descriptive statistics, the BED + FA group showed the highest levels of emotional dysregulation (M = 111.09) and emotional eating (M = 46.80), while the OB group acquired the lowest scores (M = 70.44 and M = 27.29, respectively). Univariate analyses of variance revealed significant differences between the four groups in terms of emotion dysregulation F(3, 124) = 24.63, p < .01 and emotional eating F(3, 124) = 26.26, p < .01. All of the emotion dysregulation domains revealed significant differences too. Pairwise comparisons using Bonferroni post hoc tests did not reveal any significant differences between BED + FA and BED groups, while all of our other hypotheses regarding this matter were confirmed.ConclusionsThe study found that individuals with obesity and comorbid BED exhibit greater emotional dysregulation compared to those with OB or FA, indicating a need to assess BED in individuals with obesity. Emotion dysregulation may be linked to increased BED and FA, but those with BED seem more affected by limited access to emotion regulation strategies. These findings support the notion that PEBs are associated with emotion dysregulation and underscore the need for tailored interventions that target emotion regulation skills before and after bariatric surgery.

Food Addiction: Association with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Impulsivity

Objective: The aim of the present research is to investigate food addiction and its relationship with ADHD symptoms and impulsivity in a non-clinical sample. Method: Eight hundred and twenty-six (women: 532; men: 294) university students volunteered and took part in the study. Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11) scales were applied to the participants and their anthropometric measurements were taken. Analyses were conducted using SPSS version 22. Results: 109 subjects were classified as food addicts. The food addict group significantly had higher Body Mass Index (BMI) (p &lt;0.001). The subscore of inattentiveness, subscore of hyperactive/impulsiveness and total ASRS scores were significantly higher in food addicted group (p &lt;0.001). BMI was greater in the food addiction and ADHD comorbidity group compared to the food addiction only group (X2=24.86; p=0.003). The lineer regression analysis revealed that the increased hyperactivity- impulsiveness measured by ASRS (ß=0,027), motor impulsiveness measured by BIS-11 (ß=0.030) and BMI (ß=0.037) found to be correlated with higher YFAS scores (F=10.384; p=0.000) when age and sex factors are controlled.) YFAS scores were statistically higher in potential ADHD group. (According to the ASRS cut-off score ≥24). Conclusion: Evaluation of the presence of ADHD might be an important issue in determining treatment for obesity in individuals with food addiction. The clinicians must be aware of the pitfalls associated with the comorbidity and consider screening patients with food addiction for ADHD.

Comparison of neuropsychological tests performance of the individuals higher and lower Yale Food Addiction Scores

Aim: This study aimed to compare neuropsychological test performances of individuals with and without food addiction (FA). Methods: Two hundred and six university students were the study’s sample. At the first step of the study, sociodemographic features, Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and body mass index (BMI) of the participants were evaluated. Twenty participants who met the FA criteria according to YFAS and twenty randomly selected participants among those who did not meet the FA criteria according to YFAS were included in the second step of the study. In the second step of the study, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS), Stroop Test, and Benton’s Judgment of Line Orientation Test (JLO) were applied to the participants with and without FA. Results: Fifteen percent of the participants met the diagnosis of FA according to the YFAS. Stroop completion time, number of errors, number of spontaneous corrections, and interference were higher in the FA group than in the non-FA group (p=0.002, p&lt;0.001, p=0.003, and p=0.001, respectively). Benton’s Judgment of Line Orientation test score was higher in the non-FA group than in the FA group (p=0.022). FA criteria number were correlated with Stroop-number of error and number of spontaneous corrections in participants with FA (r=.50 and r=.53, respectively). Conclusions: It can be said that there are attentional and visuospatial deficits in FA that are reflected in neuropsychological test performance.

An exploratory study of food addiction in Indian youth

Background and aimsAs the understanding of food addiction increases, there is a need to explore the occurrence of this condition in different population groups. This exploratory study aimed to assess the occurrence of food addiction in a sample of respondents from India using a Hindi version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS).MethodsThe Hindi language version of the scale was developed using the back-translation methodology. Subsequently, an online questionnaire-based study was conducted using convenience sampling which presented the Hindi version of YFAS.ResultsFrom 376 respondents (median age 19 years, 42.8% males), the rate of occurrence of food addiction was 13.3%. Persistent desire or repeated unsuccessful attempts to quit was the most common symptom domain endorsed. The weight (median 67 kg versus 60 kg) and BMI (median 25.89 kg/ m2versus 23.04 kg/ m2) were higher in the food addiction group as compared to the non-food addiction group.ConclusionsDespite the limitations of potential selection bias, this exploratory study suggests that food addiction may be present in a proportion of young aged Indians. The association of food addiction with higher weight and BMI suggests propensity to develop metabolic syndrome, and the need to evaluate interventions that could modify phenomenological expression of food addiction.

Systematically lower structural brain connectivity in individuals with elevated food addiction symptoms

Symptoms of food addiction have been observed in both obesity and eating disorders. The food addiction model may therefore posit a continuum of dysfunctional personality traits, including increased impulsivity and poor decision-making. The current study explored the neuroanatomy of addictive-like eating behavior from a novel triadic model of addiction. Specifically, we focused on three interacting neural systems; a sensitized impulsive, reward system associated with striatal structures, a desensitized reflective control system governed by prefrontal cortex, and a disrupted insula-mediated interoceptive system responsible for integrating and translating interoceptive, somatic signals into feelings of anticipation, desires, or cravings. Sixty-four healthy-weight Chinese university students were scanned for high-resolution structural and diffusion imaging. Data from the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), Binge Eating Scale, Eating Attitude Test-26, UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, and Delay Discounting Task were collected. Based on YFAS-score, participants were divided into a High Food Addiction group (HFA) and a Low Food Addiction group (LFA). Diffusion tensor imaging results revealed that compared to LFA, HFA had lower structural connectivity between insula and anterior cingulate cortex, insula and caudate, and ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC) and putamen. The Voxel-Based Morphometry analysis suggested marginally lower gray matter volume in the left vmPFC in HFA. Finally, behavioral results, indicated that higher food addiction symptoms were associated with personality traits exhibited in eating disorders including impulsive decision-making. These findings suggest that even in a healthy population, some individuals may be more susceptible to develop unhealthy relationships to food, which at least partially is manifested in lower structural connectivity between brain regions associated with interoceptive awareness, decision-making, and reward.

Examining the construct validity of food addiction severity specifiers.

Food addiction (FA) is related to greater body mass index (BMI), eating-disorder psychopathology, food craving, and psychosocial impairment. Less is known regarding the utility of the FA severity specifiers, as measured by the number of symptoms endorsed on the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0). Participants (N = 1854) were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk to complete an online survey on eating behaviors. Participants completed self-report measures assessing FA, eating-disorder psychopathology (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire), and food craving (Food Craving Inventory). Based on the YFAS 2.0 specifiers, participants were classified into four FA groups: No FA (n = 1643), mild (n = 40), moderate (n = 55), and severe (n = 116). There were significant differences found in age, sex, BMI, and frequency of objective binge-eating episodes (OBEs) among the FA groups. Using ANCOVA, adjusted for multiple comparisons and covariates (e.g., BMI, sex, OBEs), the No FA group reported significantly lower levels of shape concern (η2 = 0.05; p < 0.001), weight concern (η2 = 0.04; p < 0.001), eating concern (η2 = 0.15; p < 0.001), and global eating-disorder psychopathology (η2 = 0.06; p < 0.001) than mild, moderate, or severe FA groups. The No FA group reported significantly lower levels of dietary restraint (η2 = 0.01; p < 0.01) than mild and severe FA groups. The severe FA group reported higher food craving scores (η2 = 0.02; p < 0.001) compared to the No FA group. Our findings parallel the severity specifiers literature for eating and substance use disorders by also indicating the limited utility of severity specifiers based on symptom count. Future research should investigate alternative targets for discriminating among levels of FA. Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.

Accuracy of a 24-Hour Recall of a Measured Snack (P13-005-19)

ObjectivesTo assess food recall accuracy in the general population and determine recall differences in persons with and without food addiction (FA) as identified by the Yale Food Addiction Scale. We hypothesized that food recall is inaccurate for individuals regardless of FA status. Furthermore, subjects with FA will have a more accurate food recall compared to those without FA. MethodsTwenty-two individuals pair-matched based on gender, race, age, and BMI, participated in this cross-sectional study (11 FA and 11 control). In the outpatient clinic setting, subjects were offered ad libitum a highly palatable snack (Lays™ potato chips and plain M&M’s™) approximately 3 hours after drinking a meal replacement shake. The snacks were covertly weighed before and after consumption to note the true intake. A link to an ASA-24 hour dietary recall was emailed to the participant the following day and the information collected was compared with the true measured intake of the snack. ResultsAll participants under-reported an average of 3 g of M&M’sTM and 6 g of Lay’sTM potato chips, corresponding to 15 kcal and 34 kcal (total of 49 kcal). Overall, subjects under-reported M&M’sTM intake by 14.3% and Lay’sTM intake by 25.5%. Persons with FA under-reported M&M’sTM intake by 6.8% and Lay’sTM intake by 24.8%; the controls under-reported M&M’sTM intake by 21.9% and Lay’sTM intake by 26.3%. Differences in reporting accuracy were not significantly different in the paired sample. ConclusionsReporting of 49 fewer calories of a 169 calorie snack can be considered substantial underreporting. Individuals appear unable to recall food intake accurately even when recalled within 24 h of consumption. FA does not seem to influence overall food recall accuracy differently. Moreover, the % variations in underreporting between the two varieties of snacks, and between FA or non FA groups suggests correcting underreporting by a single correction factor is not a viable option. A larger sample size would assist in the accuracy of conclusions. Funding SourcesTexas Tech University.

Executive Functioning in Obesity, Food Addiction, and Binge-Eating Disorder.

This study aimed to investigate food addiction (FA) and binge-eating disorder (BED) in their association to executive dysfunctions in adults with obesity. Data on response inhibition, attention, decision-making, and impulsivity were derived from four groups of adults with obesity: obesity and FA (n = 23), obesity and BED (n = 19), obesity and FA plus BED (FA/BED, n = 23), and a body mass index-, age-, and sex-stratified control group of otherwise healthy individuals with obesity (n = 23, OB), using established computerized neuropsychological tasks. Overall, there were few group differences in neuropsychological profiles. Individuals of the FA group did not differ from the OB group regarding executive functioning. Individuals with BED presented with significantly higher variability in their reaction times and a deficient processing of feedback for performance improvement compared to individuals of the OB group. Strikingly, individuals with FA/BED did not present neuropsychological impairments, but higher levels of depression than all other groups. The results indicated the presence of a BED-specific neuropsychological profile in the obesity spectrum. The additional trait FA was not related to altered executive functioning compared to the OB or BED groups. Future research is needed to discriminate FA and BED further using food-specific tasks.

Food addiction distinguishes an overweight phenotype that can be reversed by low calorie diet.

Similarities in neural activation patterns in obese and substance-dependent subjects led to the food addiction concept, but studies exploiting this issue for obesity stratification are missing. We assessed brain activation in response to food cues using 18 F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose-PET in 36 overweight women, stratified by low or high food addiction groups according to the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS). Assessments were repeated after a 3-month diet. We found greater activation in thalamus, hypothalamus, midbrain, putamen, and occipital cortex (reward), but not in prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortices (control/reward receipt) in the high-YFAS versus low-YFAS group. In high-YFAS subjects, orbitofrontal responsiveness was inversely related to YFAS severity and hunger rating, and positive associations were observed between regional brain activation and lipid intake. A 3-month diet abolished group differences in brain activation. Our data suggest that food addiction distinguishes an overweight phenotype that can be reversed by diet, opening to personalized strategies in obesity treatment.

Executive functioning and psychological symptoms in food addiction: a study among individuals with severe obesity.

Food addiction (FA) has recently emerged as a new field in the study of obesity. Previous studies have contributed to identifying psychological correlates of FA. However, few researchers have examined the cognitive profile related to this condition; up until now, attentional biases related to food cues and a poorer performance monitoring have been observed. The present study aimed to examine the psychological profile and executive functioning related to FA in individuals with severe obesity and awaiting bariatric surgery. Participants (N = 86) were split into two groups, according to their level of FA symptoms (low FA vs high FA). Groups were compared on questionnaires measuring binge eating, depression and anxiety symptoms, and impulsivity as well as on measures reflecting executive functioning (D-KEFS and BRIEF-A). The relationship between FA groups and patterns of errors during the D-KEFS' Color-Word Interference Test was further analyzed. Individuals within the high FA group reported significantly more binge eating, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and more metacognitive difficulties. They also tended to show a poorer inhibition/cognitive flexibility score and a typical pattern of errors, characterized by an increased number of errors as the tasks' difficulty rose as opposed to a decreased number of errors, which characterizes an atypical pattern of errors. The present results show that the inability to learn from errors or past experiences is related to the severity of FA and overall impairments.Level of evidence Level V, descriptive study.

Food Addiction in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes in Northeast China.

The aim of the study was to explore the prevalence of food addiction (FA) in individuals with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in China and to analyze risk factors of FA. A total of 624 subjects [312 individuals with newly diagnosed T2DM, 312 age-matched and body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy participants] were recruited. All participants were asked to complete the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) and received physical and lab examinations. The T2DM group was further divided into a FA group and a non-FA group. Of the patients with newly diagnosed T2DM, 8.6% (27/312) met the FA diagnostic criteria proposed by the YFAS (7.6% in men and 10.1% in women, P = 0.43), while 1.3% (4/312) met the criteria in the control group. Logistic regression analysis showed that FA in the T2DM group was positively related to BMI and negatively related to age. T2DM with FA had a significantly higher uric acid (UA). Both men and women with newly diagnosed T2DM, especially in northeast China, were more likely to suffer from FA. T2DM patients with FA were younger and had higher UA.

Examining binge-eating disorder and food addiction in adults with overweight and obesity.

To compare four subgroups of adults with overweight/obesity: those with binge-eating disorder (BED) only, food addiction (FA) only, both BED + FA, and neither. For this study, 502 individuals with overweight/obesity (body mass index >25 kg/m(2) ) completed a Web-based survey with established measures of eating and health-related behaviors. Most were female (n = 415; 83.2%) and White (n = 404; 80.8%); mean age and body mass index were 38.0 (SD = 13.1) years and 33.6 (SD = 6.9) kg/m(2) , respectively. Among 502 participants with overweight/obesity, 43 (8.5%) met BED criteria, 84 (16.6%) met FA criteria, 51 (10.1%) met both BED + FA criteria, and 328 (64.8%) met neither (control). The three groups with eating pathology (BED, FA, and BED + FA) had significantly greater disturbances on most measures (eating disorder psychopathology, impulsivity, and self-control) than the control group, while the FA and BED + FA groups reported significantly higher depression scores relative to the control group. The three eating groups did not differ significantly from each other. In this online survey, of those with overweight/obesity, nearly one third met criteria for BED, FA, or BED + FA, and these forms of disordered eating were associated with greater pathology relative to individuals with overweight/obesity without BED and FA. Future research should examine whether the presence of BED, FA, or co-occurring BED + FA requires tailored interventions in individuals with overweight or obesity.

A sad mood increases attention to unhealthy food images in women with food addiction

Food addiction and emotional eating both influence eating and weight, but little is known of how negative mood affects the attentional processes that may contribute to food addiction. The purpose of this study was to compare attention to food images in adult women (N = 66) with versus without food addiction, before and after a sad mood induction (MI). Participants' eye fixations were tracked and recorded throughout 8-s presentations of displays with healthy food, unhealthy food, and non-food images. Food addiction was self-reported using the Yale Food Addiction Scale. The sad MI involved watching an 8-min video about a young child who passed away from cancer. It was predicted that: (1) participants in the food addiction group would attend to unhealthy food significantly more than participants in the control group, and (2) participants in the food addiction group would increase their attention to unhealthy food images following the sad MI, due to increased emotional reactivity and poorer emotional regulation. As predicted, the sad MI had a different effect for those with versus without food addiction: for participants with food addiction, attention to unhealthy images increased following the sad MI and attention to healthy images decreased, whereas for participants without food addiction the sad MI did not alter attention to food. These findings contribute to researchers' understanding of the cognitive factors underlying food addiction.

A psycho-genetic study of hedonic responsiveness in relation to "food addiction".

While food addiction has no formally-recognized definition, it is typically operationalized according to the diagnostic principles established by the Yale Food Addiction Scale—an inventory based on the symptom criteria for substance dependence in the DSM-IV. Currently, there is little biologically-based research investigating the risk factors for food addiction. What does exist has focused almost exclusively on dopaminergic reward pathways in the brain. While brain opioid signaling has also been strongly implicated in the control of food intake, there is no research examining this neural circuitry in the association with food addiction. The purpose of the study was therefore to test a model predicting that a stronger activation potential of opioid circuitry-as indicated by the functional A118G marker of the mu-opioid receptor gene-would serve as an indirect risk factor for food addiction via a heightened hedonic responsiveness to palatable food. Results confirmed these relationships. In addition, our findings that the food-addiction group had significantly higher levels of hedonic responsiveness to food suggests that this bio-behavioral trait may foster a proneness to overeating, to episodes of binge eating, and ultimately to a compulsive and addictive pattern of food intake.

Correlates of food addiction in obese individuals seeking bariatric surgery.

Recent evidence suggests that palatable, high-calorie foods may have an addictive potential. Accordingly, obesity and overconsumption of such foods have been associated with addiction-like eating behaviour. The present study investigated whether individuals with obesity can be classified as food-addicted and which factors would differentiate between food-addicted and non-addicted individuals. We administered the German version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale and other questionnaires to obese individuals seeking bariatric surgery (N = 96). Results showed that 40% of the sample could be diagnosed as food-addicted. Food-addicted individuals reported more frequent food cravings, higher eating disorder psychopathology and more depressive symptoms than the non-addicted group. Age, body mass and gender distribution did not differ between groups. The food addiction group had higher attentional but similar motor and non-planning impulsivity, and had lower scores on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) compared with the non-addicted group. Scores on the AUDIT were associated with impulsivity in the non-addicted group only. We conclude that the prevalence of food addiction is higher in candidates for bariatric surgery compared with the general population and obese individuals not seeking bariatric surgery. A diagnosis of food addiction is associated with higher eating pathology and depression. Moreover, only attentional impulsivity, but not other dimensions of impulsivity, is associated with addictive eating. Finally, food addiction and impulsivity interactively predicted alcohol use, suggesting a crucial role of psychological variables and eating style in determining alcohol consumption in pre-bariatric patients, independent of body mass.

Food cravings, appetite, and snack-food consumption in response to a psychomotor stimulant drug: the moderating effect of "food-addiction".

There is mounting evidence that many highly processed foods have addictive properties, and that some cases of compulsive overeating resemble an addiction disorder. While support for the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) as a valid diagnostic tool has been impressive and continues to increase, to date, no research has examined the food-addiction construct in response to an actual food stimulus, and in relation to direct measures of appetite and food consumption. As part of a larger community-based study of overeating in healthy adults who were predominately overweight and obese (aged 25–50 years), 136 participants completed the YFAS, of whom 23 met the diagnostic criteria for food-addiction. They took part in a 2-day, double-blind, cross-over, single-dose drug challenge using a psychomotor stimulant (methylphenidate) and placebo. Participants were first assessed on ratings of appetite and food cravings after holding and tasting their favorite snack food, after which they were able to eat all or part of the snack, as they wished. Three separate repeated-measures analysis-of-variance procedures were carried out, each with two between-subjects factors (Diagnosis: food-addiction vs. non-food addiction) and (Sex: male vs. female) and 1 within-subjects factor (Days: drug vs. placebo). As anticipated, for all three dependent variables, there was a significant main effect for Days with a response decrease from placebo to the drug condition. With respect to food cravings and appetite ratings, results indicated that the food addiction group had significantly higher scores on both variables. For food consumption, there was a significant Days × Diagnosis interaction whereby the food-addiction group showed no food-intake suppression across days compared to the non-food-addiction group who demonstrated a significant decrease in snack-food consumption with methylphenidate. The finding that the food-addiction group was resistant to the food-intake suppression typically induced by a dopamine agonist supports evidence of dopamine signaling-strength differences in individuals with compulsive overeating compared to those without this disorder. This represents the first demonstration that individuals defined by their food-addiction status have a unique pattern of food-intake following a pharmacologic challenge with such agents.

Women with elevated food addiction symptoms show accelerated reactions, but no impaired inhibitory control, in response to pictures of high-calorie food-cues

Addictive behaviors are accompanied by a lack of inhibitory control, specifically when individuals are confronted with substance-related cues. Thus, we expected women with symptoms of food addiction to be impaired in inhibitory control, when confronted with palatable, high-calorie food-cues. Female college students (N=50) were divided in low and high food addiction groups based on the symptom count of the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Participants performed a Go/No-go-task with high-calorie food-cues or neutral pictures presented behind the targets. Self-reported impulsivity was also assessed. The high food addiction group had faster reaction times in response to food-cues as compared to neutral cues and reported higher attentional impulsivity than the low food addiction group. Commission and omission errors did not differ between groups or picture types. Hence, women with food addiction symptoms reported higher attentional impulsivity and reacted faster in response to food-cues, although neither increased self-reported motor impulsivity nor impaired behavioral inhibition was found. Food addiction symptoms seem to be related to attentional aspects of impulsivity but not other facets of impulsivity.