Hauck, C., Weiß, A., Schulte, E. M., Meule, A., & Ellrott, T. (2017). Prevalence of ‘Food Addiction’ as Measured with the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 in a Representative German Sample and Its Association with Sex, Age and Weight Categories. Obesity Facts, 10(1), 12–24. https://doi.org/10.1159/000456013 From the research article’s abstract: “Background/Aims: To assess the prevalence and correlates of addictive-like eating behavior in Germany. Methods: The German version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) 2.0 was used to investigate, for the first time, the prevalence of ‘food addiction’ in a representative sample aged 18-65 years (N = 1,034). Results: The prevalence of ‘food addiction’ measured by the YFAS 2.0 was 7.9%. Individuals meeting criteria for ‘food addiction’ had higher BMI and were younger than individuals not meeting the threshold. Underweight (15.0%) and obese (17.2%) individuals exhibited the highest prevalence rate of ‘food addiction’. Addictive-like eating was not associated with sex, education level, or place of residence. Conclusion: YFAS 2.0 ‘food addiction’ was met by nearly 8% of the population.
Prevalence of ‘Food Addiction’ as Measured with the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 in a Representative German Sample and Its Association with Sex, Age and Weight Categories
Hauck, C., Weiß, A., Schulte, E. M., Meule, A., & Ellrott, T. (2017). Prevalence of ‘Food Addiction’ as Measured with the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 in a Representative German Sample and Its Association with Sex, Age and Weight Categories. Obesity Facts, 10(1), 12–24. https://doi.org/10.1159/000456013 From the research article’s abstract: “Background/Aims: To assess the prevalence and correlates of addictive-like eating behavior in Germany. Methods: The German version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) 2.0 was used to investigate, for the first time, the prevalence of ‘food addiction’ in a representative sample aged 18-65 years (N = 1,034). Results: The prevalence of ‘food addiction’ measured by the YFAS 2.0 was 7.9%. Individuals meeting criteria for ‘food addiction’ had higher BMI and were younger than individuals not meeting the threshold. Underweight (15.0%) and obese (17.2%) individuals exhibited the highest prevalence rate of ‘food addiction’. Addictive-like eating was not associated with sex, education level, or place of residence. Conclusion: YFAS 2.0 ‘food addiction’ was met by nearly 8% of the population.
Is it time to consider the “food use disorder?”
Nolan, L. J. (2017). Is it time to consider the “food use disorder?”. Appetite, 115, 16–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2017.01.029 From the research article’s abstract: “In the contemporary milieu, the term “addiction” brings to mind issues of physical dependence, uncontrolled behavior, psychoactive substances, and disease. Thus, the use of the term “food addiction” which has become common in research on binge eating and obesity, suggests a disease state characterized by craving, compulsive eating and, possibly, the presence of food constituents with drug-like properties which weaken the will power to abstain from consumption. In this commentary, the case is made that, following the trends in substance use disorder terminology, adoption of “food use disorder” as a term for compulsive eating associated with subjective loss of control may foster continued research in this area without the connotations suggested by “food addiction.””
Psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale
Torres, S., Camacho, M., Costa, P., Ribeiro, G., Santos, O., Vieira, F. M., Brandao, I., Sampaio, D., & Oliveira-Maia, A. J. (2017). Psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 22(2), 259-267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-016-0349-6 From the research article’s abstract: “Purpose: Rising rates of obesity have been recently associated to the novel concept of food addiction (FA). The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) is the most widely used measure for examining FA (1) and analysis of its reliability and validity is expected to facilitate empirical research on the construct. Here, we tested the psychometric properties of a Portuguese version of the YFAS (P-YFAS), establishing its factor structure, reliability and construct validity. Methods: Data were obtained from 468 Portuguese individuals, 278 sampled from non-clinical populations, and 190 among obese candidates for weight-loss surgery. A battery of self-report measures of eating behavior was applied. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis verified a one-factor structure with acceptable fit, with item analysis suggesting the need to eliminate item 24 from the P-YFAS. Internal consistency (KR-20 = .82) and test–retest stability were adequate.
Food and drug addictions: Similarities and differences
Rogers, P. J. (2017). Food and drug addictions: Similarities and differences. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 153, 182-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2017.01.001 From the research article’s abstract: “This review examines the merits of ‘food addiction’ as an explanation of excessive eating (i.e., eating in excess of what is required to maintain a healthy body weight). It describes various apparent similarities in appetites for foods and drugs. For example, conditioned environmental cues can arouse food and drug-seeking behaviour, ‘craving’ is an experience reported to precede eating and drug taking, ‘bingeing’ is associated with both eating and drug use, and conditioned and unconditioned tolerance occurs to food and drug ingestion. This is to be expected, as addictive drugs tap into the same processes and systems that evolved to motivate and control adaptive behaviours, including eating. The evidence, however, shows that drugs of abuse have more potent effects than foods, particularly in respect of their neuroadaptive effects that make them ‘wanted.’
Indoor tanning bed use and risk of food addiction based on the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale
Li, W. Q., McGeary, J. E., Cho, E., Flint, A., Wu, S., Ascherio, A., Rimm, E., Field, A., & Qureshi, A. A. (2017). Indoor tanning bed use and risk of food addiction based on the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale. Journal of Biomedical Research, 31(1), 31–39. https://doi.org/10.7555/JBR.31.20160098 From the research article’s abstract: “The popularity of indoor tanning may be partly attributed to the addictive characteristics of tanning for some individuals. We aimed to determine the association between frequent indoor tanning, which we view as a surrogate for tanning addiction, and food addiction. A total of 67,910 women were included from the Nurses’ Health Study II. In 2005, we collected information on indoor tanning during high school/college and age 25-35 years, and calculated the average use of indoor tanning during these periods. Food addiction was defined as ≥3 clinically significant symptoms plus clinically significant impairment or distress, assessed in 2009 using a modified version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Totally 23.3% (15,822) of the participants reported indoor tanning at high school/college or age 25-35 years. A total of 5,557 (8.2%) women met the criteria for food addiction.
Indoor tanning bed use and risk of food addiction based on the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale
Li, W. Q., E McGeary, J., Cho, E., Flint, A., Wu, S., Ascherio, A., Rimm, E., Field, A., & A Qureshi, A. (2016). Indoor tanning bed use and risk of food addiction based on the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale. Journal of Biomedical Research, 31(1), 31–39. https://doi.org/10.7555/JBR.31.20160098 From the research article’s abstract: “The popularity of indoor tanning may be partly attributed to the addictive characteristics of tanning for some individuals. We aimed to determine the association between frequent indoor tanning, which we view as a surrogate for tanning addiction, and food addiction. A total of 67,910 women were included from the Nurses’ Health Study II. In 2005, we collected information on indoor tanning during high school/college and age 25-35 years, and calculated the average use of indoor tanning during these periods. Food addiction was defined as ≥3 clinically significant symptoms plus clinically significant impairment or distress, assessed in 2009 using a modified version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Totally 23.3% (15,822) of the participants reported indoor tanning at high school/college or age 25-35 years. A total of 5,557 (8.2%) women met the criteria for food addiction.
Validation of the Night Eating Diagnostic Questionnaire (NEDQ) and its relationship with depression, sleep quality, “food addiction”, and body mass index
Nolan, L. J., & Geliebter, A. (2017). Validation of the Night Eating Diagnostic Questionnaire (NEDQ) and its relationship with depression, sleep quality, “food addiction”, and body mass index. Appetite, 111, 86–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2016.12.027 From the research article’s abstract: “Night eating syndrome (NES) is commonly assessed using the Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), a validated scale of symptom severity, which does not assess all diagnostic criteria. The Night Eating Diagnostic Questionnaire (NEDQ) assesses all diagnostic criteria, but has not been fully validated. The study purpose was to establish convergent validity for the NEDQ with the NEQ. It was also expected that higher NEDQ scores would be associated with elevated depression, poorer sleep quality, “food addiction,” and BMI as in other studies of NES. Students (n = 254) and community members (n = 468) were administered the NEQ, NEDQ, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Zung Self-report Depression Scale (SDS), and the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS). Convergent validity between the NEDQ and the NEQ was demonstrated; the scores were significantly positively correlated.
The role of reward circuitry and food addiction in the obesity epidemic: An update
Leigh, S. J., & Morris, M. J. (2018). The role of reward circuitry and food addiction in the obesity epidemic: An update. Biological psychology, 131, 31–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2016.12.013 From the review article’s abstract: “The majority of obesity studies in animals have not measured addictive-like behaviours, but reports of such behaviours have been restricted to experiments using models of binge eating.”
The role of reward circuitry and food addiction in the obesity epidemic: An update
Leigh, S. J., & Morris, M. J. (2018). The role of reward circuitry and food addiction in the obesity epidemic: An update. Biological Psychology, 131, 31–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2016.12.013 From the research article’s abstract: “The increasing worldwide prevalence of obesity is partially related to the ready availability of highly palatable foods which increases the incidence of hedonic, non-homeostatic feeding. The “food addiction” hypothesis postulates that exposure to these foods alters the brain’s reward circuitry, driving an addiction-like behavioural phenotype of compulsive overeating. This review highlights recent evidence that examines changes in the mesolimbic dopaminergic circuit, the primary component of the reward system, associated with exposure to highly palatable foods and obesity. The majority of obesity studies in animals have not measured addictive-like behaviours, but reports of such behaviours have been restricted to experiments using models of binge eating. Where examined, the prevalence of addiction-like behaviour in overweight and obese subjects indicates that 10–25% of the population meets the Yale Food Addiction Score criteria.