Schulte, E. M., Wadden, T. A., & Allison, K. C. (2020). An evaluation of food addiction as a distinct psychiatric disorder. Int J Eat Disord. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23350

Two of the criteria (literature and differentiation) have been empirically supported to extent specified. Two criteria (diagnostic criteria and syndrome) have been partially fulfilled, due to only having self-report assessment measures and no examination of the odds ratios for meeting more than one symptom, respectively. Clinician reliability has not yet been evaluated.

The existing literature suggests that food addiction may warrant consideration as a proposed diagnostic category in the DSM, though future research is needed to fulfill Blashfield et al.’s (1990; Comprehensive Psychiatry, 31(1), 15–19) criteria. The development of a semi-structured interview would be an impactful contribution for addressing these gaps.