Maxwell, A. L., Gardiner, E., & Loxton, N. J. (2020). Investigating the relationship between reward sensitivity, impulsivity, and food addiction: A systematic review. European Eating Disorders Review, 28(4), 368–384. https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.2732 From the research article’s abstract: “The aim of the current research was to identify the extent to which reward sensitivity and impulsivity were related to food addiction. Forty-five studies, published from 2009 to June 2019, investigating reward sensitivity and/or impulsivity with food addiction as measured by the Yale Food Addiction Scale were reviewed. Reward sensitivity, as measured by the Sensitivity to Reward (SR) scale, was positively associated with food addiction in two studies, but failed to yield consistent results in other studies when measured with the Behavioral Inhibition/Behavioral Activation Scales. Self-report impulsivity, as measured by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), was consistently associated with food addiction, with attentional impulsivity and motor impulsivity the most consistent subscales. Similarly, food addiction was also consistently associated with Negative Urgency, Positive Urgency, and Lack of Perseverance as measured by the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale.
The FODRAT study (FOod addiction, DRugs, Alcohol and Tobacco): first data on food addiction prevalence among patients with addiction to drugs, tobacco and alcohol
Tinghino, B., Lugoboni, F., Amatulli, A., Biasin, C., Bramani Araldi, M., Cantiero, D., Cremaschini, M., Galimberti, G. L., Giusti, S., Grosina, C., Mulazzani, G. E. G., & Nizzoli, U. (2020). The FODRAT study (FOod addiction, DRugs, Alcohol and Tobacco): first data on food addiction prevalence among patients with addiction to drugs, tobacco and alcohol. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 26, 449–455. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-020-00865-z From the research article’s abstract: “Objectives: The main focus of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of food addiction (FA) in a population of 575 subjects, all affected by drugs, alcohol and/or tobacco addiction. Methods: Patients were enrolled in Addiction Service Centers and 25 items YFAS questionnaire was administered. Prevalence of FA was studied among patients who already have an addiction and then this prevalence was compared between groups of abusers (by type of substance), comparing mono abusers with polyabusers, as well as regressions by age, BMI, sex, through multiple regression analysis. Results: Prevalence of FA in the sample is 20.17%. Risk of FA increases with the number of substances used (polyabuse).
Towards a comprehensive theory of obesity and a healthy diet: The causal role of oxidative stress in food addiction and obesity
Tobore, T. O. (2020). Towards a comprehensive theory of obesity and a healthy diet: The causal role of oxidative stress in food addiction and obesity. Behavioural Brain Research, 384, 112560. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112560 From the research article’s abstract: “Background: Obesity is a major public health problem whose prevalence has been rapidly increasing in the United States (U.S), and globally. It is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths globally and contributes to the development of many diseases. Methods: The search was limited to studies published in English and other languages involving both animal and human subjects. Articles selected included preclinical studies, randomized clinical trials RCTs, observational studies, meta-analyses, narrative and systemic reviews providing primary quantitative data with a measure of obesity or food addiction as an outcome. Over 5000 articles were found in the first round of search which was filtered to 506 articles. Results: Oxidative stress plays a critical role in food addiction and is both a cause and mediator of obesity.
A specific prelimbic-nucleus accumbens pathway controls resilience versus vulnerability to food addiction
Domingo-Rodriguez, L., et al. (2020). A specific prelimbic-nucleus accumbens pathway controls resilience versus vulnerability to food addiction. Nat Commun, 11(1), 782. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14458-y From the experimental study’s abstract: “We report that the lack of cannabinoid type-1 receptor prevents the development of food addiction-like behavior. In contrast, chemogenetic inhibition of neuronal activity in the mPFC-NAc pathway induces compulsive food seeking.”
Structural validity, measurement invariance, reliability and diagnostic accuracy of the Italian version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 in patients with severe obesity and the general population
Manzoni, G. M., Rossi, A., Pietrabissa, G., Mannarini, S., Fabbricatore, M., Imperatori, C., Innamorati, M., Gearhardt, A. N., & Castelnuovo, G. (2021). Structural validity, measurement invariance, reliability and diagnostic accuracy of the Italian version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 in patients with severe obesity and the general population. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 26, 345–366. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-020-00858-y From the research article’s abstract: “To examine the structural validity, measurement invariance, reliability, and some other psychometrical properties of the Italian version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2 (I-YFAS 2.0) in patients with severe obesity and the general population. 704 participants—400 inpatients with severe obesity and 304 participants enrolled from the general population—completed the I-YFAS 2.0 and questionnaires measuring eating disorder symptoms. A first confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) tested a hierarchical structure in which each item of the I-YFAS 2.0 loaded onto one of the twelve latent symptoms/criteria which loaded onto a general dimension of Food Addiction (FA). The second CFA tested a first-order structure in which symptoms/criteria of FA simply loaded onto a latent dimension. Measurement invariance (MI) between the group of inpatients with severe obesity and the sample from the general population was also tested.
The Effect of a Food Addiction Explanation Model for Weight Control and Obesity on Weight Stigma
O’Brien, K. S., Puhl, R. M., Latner, J. D., Lynott, D., Reid, J. D., Vakhitova, Z., Hunter, J. A., Scarf, D., Jeanes, R., Bouguettaya, A., & Carter, A. (2020). The Effect of a Food Addiction Explanation Model for Weight Control and Obesity on Weight Stigma. Nutrients, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12020294 From the research article’s abstract: “There is increasing scientific and public support for the notion that some foods may be addictive, and that poor weight control and obesity may, for some people, stem from having a food addiction. However, it remains unclear how a food addiction model (FAM) explanation for obesity and weight control will affect weight stigma. In two experiments (N = 530 and N = 690), we tested the effect of a food addiction explanation for weight control and obesity on weight stigma. In Experiment 1, participants who received a FAM explanation for weight control and obesity reported lower weight stigma scores (e.g., less dislike of ‘fat people’, and lower personal willpower blame) than those receiving an explanation emphasizing diet and exercise (F(4,525) = 7.675, p = 0.006; and F(4,525) = 5.393, p = 0.021, respectively).
Bad Things Come to Those Who Do Not Wait: Temporal Discounting Is Associated With Compulsive Overeating, Eating Disorder Psychopathology and Food Addiction
Kekic, M., McClelland, J., Bartholdy, S., Chamali, R., Campbell, I. C., & Schmidt, U. (2019). Bad Things Come to Those Who Do Not Wait: Temporal Discounting Is Associated With Compulsive Overeating, Eating Disorder Psychopathology and Food Addiction. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, 978. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00978 From the research article’s abstract: “The tendency to act on immediate pleasure-driven desires, due to the devaluation of future rewards [a process known as temporal discounting (TD)], has been associated with substance use disorders (SUD) and with conditions characterised by compulsive overeating. The study involved a large inclusive participant sample (i.e., no diagnostic or exclusion criteria were applied). They were recruited/assessed online and we investigated whether TD was related to compulsive overeating and associated problems. Participants [N = 432, (48 males)] completed an online survey, which included a hypothetical monetary TD task, the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS). TD correlated with frequency of compulsive overeating and compensatory behaviours, with eating disorder psychopathology, with scores on the YFAS, and with body mass index (BMI).
Bad Things Come to Those Who Do Not Wait: Temporal Discounting Is Associated With Compulsive Overeating, Eating Disorder Psychopathology and Food Addiction
Kekic, M., McClelland, J., Bartholdy, S., Chamali, R., Campbell, I. C., & Schmidt, U. (2020). Bad Things Come to Those Who Do Not Wait: Temporal Discounting Is Associated With Compulsive Overeating, Eating Disorder Psychopathology and Food Addiction. Frontiers in psychiatry, 10, 978. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00978 From the research study’s abstract: “TD correlated with frequency of compulsive overeating and compensatory behaviours, with eating disorder psychopathology, with scores on the YFAS, and with body mass index (BMI).”
Food addiction in the Christian Patristic Tradition
Mazokopakis, E. E. (2021). Food addiction in the Christian Patristic Tradition. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 26, 405–406. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-020-00843-5 From the research article’s abstract: “Food addiction is a new mental health disorder, which is characterized by loss of behavioral control over food consumption and is accompanied by obesity and other eating disorders. The aim of this letter is to present the views of the Christian Patristic Tradition on food addiction. The Christian Patristic Tradition teaches that the passion of gluttony is the first and most basic passion of human beings, which leads to the distortion of human nature and the loss of spiritual freedom. The passion of gluttony is the source of all other passions, such as lust, greed, anger, and pride. The Christian Patristic Tradition offers a holistic approach to the treatment of food addiction, which includes fasting, prayer, repentance, and participation in the sacraments of the Church. The Christian Patristic Tradition views food addiction not only as a physical or psychological problem but as a spiritual disorder that requires spiritual healing.”
Validation of the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 and estimation of the population prevalence of food addiction
Horsager, C., Færk, E., Lauritsen, M. B., & Østergaard, S. D. (2020). Validation of the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 and estimation of the population prevalence of food addiction. Clinical Nutrition, 39(9), 2917–2928. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2019.12.030 From the research article’s abstract: “Background & aims: Food addiction (FA) is likely to contribute to the global obesity epidemic. Most studies of FA have been conducted within clinical and/or highly selected populations, suggesting that prevalence estimates of FA may be biased. This is problematic as valid estimates of the population prevalence of FA is a requirement for informing and designing public health initiatives focusing on this phenotype. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the weighted prevalence of food addiction in the adult general population of Denmark. Methods: A random sample of 5000 individuals aged 18 to 62 from the Danish population was invited to participate in a survey, which included the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0) and several rating scales measuring eating pathology and other psychopathology. Health, demographic and socioeconomic data from the Danish registers were linked to all invitees to allow for attrition analysis.