Mills, J. G., Thomas, S. J., Larkin, T. A., Pai, N. B., & Deng, C. (2018). Problematic eating behaviours, changes in appetite, and weight gain in Major Depressive Disorder: The role of leptin. Journal of Affective Disorders, 240, 137–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.07.069 From the research article’s abstract: “Appetite and weight changes are core symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and those with MDD are at increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders. Leptin promotes satiety, with leptin dysregulation and resistance noted in obesity. However, the role of leptin in weight changes in MDD is not established. This study investigates leptin levels in relation to appetite and weight changes and problematic eating behaviours in MDD. Plasma leptin levels, psychopathology and biometrics were compared between participants meeting DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for MDD (n = 63) and healthy controls (n = 60). Depressed participants were also sub-categorised according to increased, decreased or unchanged appetite and weight. The Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire and Yale Food Addiction Scale were examined in a subset of participants with MDD. Females with increased appetite/weight had higher leptin levels than those with stable or reduced appetite/weight, however males showed the opposite effect.
Moving beyond the “eating addiction” versus “food addiction” debate: Comment on Schulte et al. (2017)
Lacroix, E., Tavares, H., & von Ranson, K. M. (2018). Moving beyond the “eating addiction” versus “food addiction” debate: Comment on Schulte et al. (2017). Appetite, 130, 286–292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.06.025 From the research article’s abstract: “In a recent commentary, Schulte et al. (2017) argued that addictive-like eating should be conceptualized as a substance use disorder rather than a behavioural addiction, and noted that many parallels that Hebebrand et al. (2014) drew between addictive-like eating and behavioural addictions apply likewise to substance use disorders. However, we argue that many of the arguments advanced by Schulte et al. (2017) in support of a substance-based food addiction model, including the important role played by ingested substances, are nonspecific. That is, these arguments apply equally well to behavioural addictions and other mental disorders, notably eating disorders, which raises the question of whether the phenomenon of addictive-like eating is encompassed by existing eating disorder diagnoses. Similarities between addictive-like eating and substance use, no matter how compelling, do not ensure the validity or clinical utility of a substance-based food addiction model and should not drive the conceptualization of addictive-like eating.
Food addiction among men and women in India
Wiedemann, A. A., Lawson, J. L., Cunningham, P. M., Khalvati, K. M., Lydecker, J. A., Ivezaj, V., & Grilo, C. M. (2018). Food addiction among men and women in India. European Eating Disorders Review, 26(6), 597-604. https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.2613 From the research article’s abstract: “Objective This study aimed to address a cultural gap in the food addiction (FA) literature by examining FA and associated clinical features in a nonclinical group of men and women residing in India. Method Participants (N = 415) were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk to complete an online survey about weight and eating. Participants completed self-report measures assessing FA (Yale Food Addiction Scale [YFAS]), eating-disorder psychopathology (Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire [EDE-Q]), health-related quality of life (Short Form Health Survey—12-item version [SF-12]), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-2). Results The FA symptom mean was 3.53 (SD = 1.90); 32.5% (n = 129) met FA clinical threshold on the YFAS. Groups categorized with and without FA on the YFAS did not differ significantly in sex or body mass index.
Association of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Food Addiction to Bariatric Surgery Completion and Weight Loss Outcome
Holgerson, A. A., Clark, M. M., Ames, G. E., Collazo-Clavell, M. L., Kellogg, T. A., Graszer, K. M., Kalsy, S. A., & Grothe, K. (2018). Association of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Food Addiction to Bariatric Surgery Completion and Weight Loss Outcome. Obesity Surgery, 28(11), 3386–3392. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-018-3370-1 From the research article’s abstract: “Introduction/Purpose: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are known risk factors for obesity and poor outcomes following weight loss interventions. ACEs are also associated with addictive behaviors and, potentially, food addiction (FA). This study examined the relationship between ACEs and FA, and their association to undergoing bariatric surgery and post-surgical weight loss outcomes. Materials and Methods: Between June 2013 and January 2016, 1586 bariatric-surgery-seeking patients completed a psychological evaluation. During their evaluation, the patients were administered measures including the ACE questionnaire and the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Results: 19.2% of those seeking bariatric surgery reported being the victim of childhood sexual abuse, and 22.1% reported being the victim of childhood physical abuse. An elevated ACE score corresponded to increased likelihood of screening positive for FA and more severe FA.
Measurement Invariance of the Modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 Across Gender and Racial Groups
Carr, M. M., Schulte, E. M., Saules, K. K., & Gearhardt, A. N. (2018). Measurement Invariance of the Modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 Across Gender and Racial Groups. Assessment, 27(2), 1073191118786576. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191118786576 Conclusion: “Results increase confidence in the generalizability of findings using the mYFAS 2.0 and indicate that observed differences in prevalence rates, such as the higher rates of food addiction observed for women and Hispanic individuals, are likely due to true differences in the population rather than due to measurement bias.”
Establishing a food addiction diagnosis using the Yale Food Addiction Scale: A closer look at the clinically significant distress/functional impairment criterion
Ouellette, A. S., Rodrigue, C., Lemieux, S., Tchernof, A., Biertho, L., & Bégin, C. (2018). Establishing a food addiction diagnosis using the Yale Food Addiction Scale: A closer look at the clinically significant distress/functional impairment criterion. Appetite, 129, 55-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.06.031 From the research article’s abstract: “The concept of food addiction (FA) represents a set of problematic eating behaviors related to overeating. According to the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), which was based on the DSM-IV-TR substance dependence diagnostic criteria, a FA diagnosis is assigned when at least three criteria and the criterion evaluating clinically significant distress and/or functional impairment are endorsed. Considering the decisive role of this last criterion, the present study aimed to investigate its endorsement among individuals suffering from severe obesity and awaiting bariatric surgery. A total of 146 patients were recruited at the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute and were invited to complete various questionnaires. Differences between individuals who endorsed at least three FA criteria and reported distress/impairment (FA+D/I; N = 24) and individuals who endorsed at least three FA criteria but did not report distress/impairment (FA-D/I; N = 27)
Food addiction: is it a nosological category or a psychopathological dimension? Preliminary results of an Italian study
Piccinni, A., Marazziti, D., Cargioli, C., Mauri, M., & Stallone, T. (2018). Food addiction: is it a nosological category or a psychopathological dimension? Preliminary results of an Italian study. Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation, 36(1). https://doi.org/10.1515/hmbci-2018-0021 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. Given the little information available, the aim of this study was to evaluate the possible relationships between FA and full-blown and subthreshold psychopathology or eating behaviors in subjects consulting nutritional biologists. Materials and methods: Three-hundred and fifty subjects completed the following self-questionnaires: Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), Structured Clinical Interview for Mood Spectrum, Self-Report, Lifetime Version (MOOD-SR-LT), Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), Structured Clinical Interview for Anorexic-Bulimic Spectrum, Self-Report, Lifetime Version (ABS-SR-LT). Results: Most of the subjects were women (n = 278) and the remaining were 72 men. A large proportion of the subjects (77.1%) had a YFAS score <3 and 22.9% ≥3, with no difference between men and women. The YFAS scores ≥3 were significantly and positively related to the all ABS-SR-LT domains, as well as to three dimensions (Depression, Hypomania, Rhythmicity) of the MOOD-SR-LT, and some SCL-90-R domains (Sensitivity, Psychoticism, General Symptom Index and Positive Symptom). Conclusion: Our data, while indicating that FA is related to different subthreshold psychopathological domains, in particular, with both depressive and manic symptoms, as well as with rhythmicity of mood spectrum, or with eating subthreshold symptoms, would suggest that it might be a dimension underlying different conditions or symptom clusters.”
Validation of the Spanish Version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) and Clinical Correlates in a Sample of Eating Disorder, Gambling Disorder, and Healthy Control Participants
Granero, R., Jimenez-Murcia, S., Gearhardt, A. N., Agüera, Z., Aymamí, N., Gómez-Peña, M., Lozano-Madrid, M., Mallorquí-Bagué, N., Mestre-Bach, G., Neto-Antão, M. I., Riesco, N., Sánchez, I., Steward, T., Soriano-Mas, C., Vintró-Alcaraz, C., Menchón, J. M., Casanueva, F. F., Diéguez, C., & Fernández-Aranda, F. (2018). Validation of the Spanish Version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) and Clinical Correlates in a Sample of Eating Disorder, Gambling Disorder, and Healthy Control Participants. Frontiers in psychiatry, 9, 208. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00208 From the validation study’s results: “Food addiction severity was associated with higher BMI, psychopathology and specific personality traits, such as higher harm avoidance and lower self-directedness.”
Validation of the Spanish Version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) and Clinical Correlates in a Sample of Eating Disorder, Gambling Disorder, and Healthy Control Participants
Granero, R., et al. (2018). Validation of the Spanish Version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0… Front Psychiatry, 9, 208. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00208 From the validation study’s results: “Food addiction severity was associated with higher BMI, psychopathology and specific personality traits, such as higher harm avoidance, and lower self-directedness.”
Validation of the Spanish Version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) and Clinical Correlates in a Sample of Eating Disorder, Gambling Disorder, and Healthy Control Participants
Granero, R., Jiménez-Murcia, S., Gearhardt, A. N., Agüera, Z., Aymamí, N., Gómez-Peña, M., Lozano-Madrid, M., Mallorquí-Bagué, N., Mestre-Bach, G., Neto-Antao, M. I., Riesco, N., Sánchez, I., Steward, T., Soriano-Mas, C., Vintró-Alcaraz, C., Menchón, J. M., Casanueva, F. F., Diéguez, C., & Fernández-Aranda, F. (2018). Validation of the Spanish Version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) and Clinical Correlates in a Sample of Eating Disorder, Gambling Disorder, and Healthy Control Participants. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9, 208. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00208 From the original research article’s conclusions: “Our results provide empirical support for the use of the Spanish YFAS 2.0 as a reliable and valid tool to assess food addiction among several clinical populations (namely ED and GD). The prevalence of food addiction is heterogeneous between disorders.”