Lustig, R. H. (2020). Ultraprocessed Food: Addictive, Toxic, and Ready for Regulation. Nutrients, 12(11), 3401. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12113401 From the research article’s abstract: “Past public health crises (e.g., tobacco, alcohol, opioids, cholera, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), lead, pollution, venereal disease, even coronavirus (COVID-19) have been met with interventions targeted both at the individual and all of society. While the healthcare community is very aware that the global pandemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has its origins in our Western ultraprocessed food diet, society has been slow to initiate any interventions other than public education, which has been ineffective, in part due to food industry interference. This article provides the rationale for such public health interventions, by compiling the evidence that added sugar, and by proxy the ultraprocessed food category, meets the four criteria set by the public health community as necessary and sufficient for regulation—abuse, toxicity, ubiquity, and externalities (How does your consumption affect me?). To their credit, some countries have recently heeded this science and have instituted sugar taxation policies to help ameliorate NCDs within their borders. ”
The Clinical Utility of Food Addiction: Characteristics and Psychosocial Impairments in a Treatment-Seeking Sample
Oliveira, E., Kim, H. S., Lacroix, E., de Fatima Vasques, M., Durante, C. R., Pereira, D., Cabral, J. R., Bernstein, P. S., Garcia, X., Ritchie, E. V., & Tavares, H. (2020). The Clinical Utility of Food Addiction: Characteristics and Psychosocial Impairments in a Treatment-Seeking Sample. Nutrients, 12(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12113388 From the research article’s abstract: “Little is known about the characteristics of individuals seeking treatment for food addiction (FA), and the clinical utility of FA has yet to be established. To address these gaps, we examined (i) the demographic, eating pathology, and psychiatric conditions associated with FA and (ii) whether FA is associated with psychosocial impairments when accounting for eating-related and other psychopathology. Forty-six patients seeking treatment for FA completed self-report questionnaires and semi-structured clinical interviews. The majority of the sample were women and self-identified as White, with a mean age of 43 years. Most participants (83.3%) presented with a comorbid psychiatric condition, most commonly anxiety and mood disorders, with a mean of 2.31 comorbid conditions. FA was associated with binge eating severity and anxiety symptoms, as well as psychological, physical, and social impairment.
Attributes of the food addiction phenotype within overweight and obesity
Schulte, E. M., & Gearhardt, A. N. (2020). Attributes of the food addiction phenotype within overweight and obesity. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 26, 2043–2049. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-020-01055-7 From the research article’s abstract: “Purpose: Previous studies have demonstrated overlapping behavioral features between substance-use disorders and food addiction, the latter of which is particularly prevalent among individuals with overweight or obesity. However, the unique attributes of food addiction as a possible phenotype within overweight and obesity are not fully understood. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited participants (n = 46) with overweight or obesity, nearly half (n = 20) of whom met the criteria for food addiction based on the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) and examined responses to self-report questionnaires that indexed behavioral characteristics relevant to addictive disorders. Results: Individuals with food addiction exhibited significantly higher scores on the Palatable Eating Motives Scale overall score (p < .001) and subscales for coping (p < .001) and enhancement (p < .001) of emotions, Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire Emotional Eating subscale (p < .001), UPPS-P Impulsivity Scale negative urgency (p < .001) and lack of perseverance (p = .01) subscales, and the Food Craving Inventory overall score (p = .02) and subscales of cravings for sweets (p < .01) and fast food fats (p = .02).
A narrative review of highly processed food addiction across the lifespan
Schiestl, E. T., Rios, J. M., Parnarouskis, L., Cummings, J. R., & Gearhardt, A. N. (2020). A narrative review of highly processed food addiction across the lifespan. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 106, 110152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110152 From the research article’s abstract: “Evidence is growing that highly processed (HP) foods (i.e., foods high in refined carbohydrates and fat) are highly effective in activating reward systems and may even be capable of triggering addictive processes. HP food addiction has been associated with negative outcomes, including higher body mass index (BMI), more frequent binge eating, greater failure in weight loss treatment trials, and poorer mental and physical health. Although most research on HP food addiction has been conducted using adult samples, research on this topic now spans across the life span beginning in utero and extending through older adulthood. HP food addiction and related reward-based changes are associated with negative outcomes at every life stage, which has important implications for developmentally tailored prevention and treatment efforts.
The combined effects of probiotics and restricted calorie diet on the anthropometric indices, eating behavior, and hormone levels of obese women with food addiction: a randomized clinical trial
Narmaki, E., Borazjani, M., Ataie-Jafari, A., Hariri, N., Doost, A. H., Qorbani, M., & Saidpour, A. (2022). The combined effects of probiotics and restricted calorie diet on the anthropometric indices, eating behavior, and hormone levels of obese women with food addiction: a randomized clinical trial. Nutritional Neuroscience, 25(5), 963–975. https://doi.org/10.1080/1028415X.2020.1826763 From the research article’s abstract: “Food addiction (FA) is an important contributor to obesity. Alterations in gut microbiota (GM) diversity and composition have also been proposed to play a pivotal role in obesity pathogenesis. This trial aimed to assess the effects of probiotic supplementation on the anthropometric indices, eating behavior, and hormone levels of obese women with FA. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted among obese women with FA. Participants (n = 62) received a restricted calorie diet (RCD) plus either probiotic, or placebo for 12 weeks. Anthropometric measurements, biochemical markers, eating behavior and appetite were assessed during the study period. Probiotics administration significantly reduced weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist to hip ratio (WHR), body fat percentage (BFP), and trunk fat percentage (TFP) compared to the placebo group (p < 0.001).
Validity and reliability of the Iranian version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale for obese women
Panahi Moghaddam, S. A., Amiri, P., Eini Zinab, H., & Saidpour, A. (2020). Validity and reliability of the Iranian version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale for obese women. Public Health Nutrition, 24(9), 2512-2520. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980020003560 From the research article’s abstract: “Objective: The face and construct validity of the Iranian version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) was evaluated, and the convergent validity and test–retest reliability of both Iranian and original versions of YFAS for obese women were assessed. Design: The internal consistency of the YFAS was analysed. Exploratory factor analysis for dichotomous data was performed by varimax rotation, polychoric correlation coefficients and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Convergent validity was established by evaluating the correlation between the original and the Iranian versions of YFAS and the Binge Eating Scale (BES). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was measured between test–retest results. Setting: A weight management clinic in Tehran. Participants: 450 obese women. Results: The single-factor structure indicated that the factor loadings for all the items were > 0·5, except for three items (explained proportion variance = 51 %). Based on CFA, the single factor had a better fit to the data after excluding three items.
The association of adolescents’ television viewing with Body Mass Index percentile, food addiction, and addictive phone use
Domoff, S. E., et al. (2020). The association of adolescents’ television viewing… Appetite, 157, 104990. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2020.104990 From the cross-sectional study’s abstract: “Higher BMI percentile was not correlated with greater overall or commercial TV viewing. However, we did identify a positive association between overall TV viewing and commercial TV viewing with addictive-eating and addictive phone use.”
Low carbohydrate ketogenic therapy as a metabolic treatment for binge eating and ultraprocessed food addiction
Sethi Dalai, S., Sinha, A., & Gearhardt, A. N. (2020). Low carbohydrate ketogenic therapy as a metabolic treatment for binge eating and ultraprocessed food addiction. Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity, 27(5), 275–282. https://doi.org/10.1097/MED.0000000000000571 From the research article’s abstract: “Purpose of review: The aim of this study was to highlight the recent advancements and future directions for potential use of a low carbohydrate ketogenic dietary approach to treat binge eating and ultraprocessed food addiction. Herein, we explore proposed mechanisms of why a diet low in refined carbohydrates, processed sugar and higher fat content may be helpful in alleviating symptoms. Recent findings: Emerging evidence suggests there may be a metabolic role in development of maladaptive eating. These findings broaden our understanding of eating psychopathology causes. Ultraprocessed, refined or high glycemic index carbohydrates are a possible trigger mediating neurochemical responses similar to addiction. The carbohydrate-insulin model of obesity supports observations of these foods triggering abnormal blood sugar and insulin spikes subsequently leading to changes in metabolic and neurobiological signaling. This results in overeating symptoms and hunger exacerbation, which differs from observed effects of healthy fat consumption and lack of similar insulin spikes.
FOOD ADDICTION AS A PROXY FOR ANOREXIA NERVOSA SEVERITY: NEW DATA BASED ON THE YALE FOOD ADDICTION SCALE 2.0
Tran, H., Poinsot, P., Guillaume, S., Delaunay, D., Bernetiere, M., Begin, C., Fourneret, P., Peretti, N., & Iceta, S. (2020). Food Addiction as a Proxy for Anorexia Nervosa Severity: New Data Based on the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0. Psychiatry Research, 293, 113472. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113472 From the research article’s abstract: “The contribution of an addictive process to anorexia nervosa (AN) is an area of growing interest. Yet, little is known about how the food addiction concept (FA) may be of interest in understanding AN. This study investigates prevalence of FA diagnostic and its association with markers of severity in individuals with AN. We conducted a retrospective study in a sample of 73 patients with AN. We assessed FA with the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0, depressive and anxiety disorders, impulsivity (Beck Depression Inventory, STAI, BIS-11) and eating behavior (BITE, EDE-Q). Prevalence of FA in our sample was 47%. FA was significantly associated and positively correlated with the binge-eating/purging subtype of AN, higher levels of depression, anxiety and greater eating psychopathology. FA was not associated with level of impulsivity nor leptin and IGF-1 blood levels. The relationship between FA severity and AN severity was mediated by the severity of binge eating behaviors.
Food addiction and psychiatric comorbidities: a review of current evidence
Piccinni, A., Bucchi, R., Fini, C., Vanelli, F., Mauri, M., Stallone, T., Cavallo, E. D., & Claudio, C. (2020). Food addiction and psychiatric comorbidities: a review of current evidence. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 26, 1049–1056. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-020-01021-3 From the research article’s abstract: “Background: Food addiction (FA) is characterised by the consumption of appetible foods and by addictive psychological and behavioural symptoms such as cravings, tolerance, limited control of substance intake and withdrawal symptoms. Despite previous research on FA has been hindered by the lack of a formal definition for this condition, recent global trends have stirred the interest of the scientific community towards a proper classification and construct of FA. More specifically, recent studies have pointed towards shared defective neurobiological mechanisms as well as frequent comorbidities between FA, eating disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders and substance-related and addictive disorders. Objective: In this review, we will provide an overview of the complex symptomatology of food addiction evaluating its relationship with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and substance-related and addictive disorders. Methods: