Linardon, J., & Messer, M. (2019). Assessment of food addiction using the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 in individuals with binge-eating disorder symptomatology: Factor structure, psychometric properties, and clinical significance. Psychiatry Research, 279, 216–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2019.03.003 From the research article’s abstract: “The Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS) assesses addiction-like eating of palatable foods based on the 11 diagnostic criteria for substance use disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This study was the first to investigate the factor structure, psychometric properties, and clinical significance of the YFAS 2.0 in individuals with binge-eating disorder (BED) symptomatology. Data were analysed from 220 community-based participants who met criteria for “probable BED” based on self-report symptom frequency. Classification of food addiction (FA) was met by 42.3% of the sample. The YFAS 2.0 exhibited a unidimensional structure, adequate internal consistency, and convergent and incremental validity.
Prevalence of food addiction and association with stress, sleep quality and chronotype: A cross-sectional survey among university students
Najem, J., Saber, M., Aoun, C., El Osta, N., Papazian, T., & Rabbaa Khabbaz, L. (2020). Prevalence of food addiction and association with stress, sleep quality and chronotype: A cross-sectional survey among university students. Clinical Nutrition, 39(2), 533–539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2019.02.038 From the research article’s abstract: “Food addiction (FA) is defined as an insatiable desire for the consumption of specific high-fat, high-sugar foods beyond the required energy needs for sustenance. The aims of this study were to determine FA prevalence and to assess associations between FA, stress, sleep quality and chronotype among university students. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey conducted among students from 8 major Lebanese universities. Students were randomly selected and requested to fill the questionnaire. 644 agreed to participate. Data were collected via a face-to-face interview conducted by 2 trained research assistants. In addition to sociodemographic data, all participants filled the following self-administered standardized and validated questionnaires: Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). FA prevalence was 10.1% with a 95% confidence interval of 7.8–12.4%. 56.5% of all the participants ha
Symptoms of ‘Food Addiction’ in binge eating disorder using the Yale Food Addiction Scale version 2.0
Carter, J. C., Van Wijk, M., & Rowsell, M. (2019). Symptoms of ‘food addiction’ in binge eating disorder using the Yale Food Addiction Scale version 2.0. Appetite, 133, 362-369. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.11.032 “In fact, 92% of the BED group met YFAS 2.0 criteria for at least mild ‘food addiction’ compared to only 6% of the NED group.” – From the Abstract
A Critical Examination of the Practical Implications Derived from the Food Addiction Concept
Meule, A. (2019). A Critical Examination of the Practical Implications Derived from the Food Addiction Concept. Current Obesity Reports, 8(1), 11–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-019-0326-2 From the research article’s abstract: “Adopting an addiction perspective on eating disorders and obesity may have practical implications for diagnostic classification, prevention, and treatment of these disorders. The present article critically examines these implications derived from the food addiction concept. Introducing food addiction as a new disorder in diagnostic classification system seems redundant as most individuals with an addiction-like eating behavior are already covered by established eating disorder diagnoses. Food addiction may be a useful metaphor in the treatment of binge eating, but would be inappropriate for the majority of obese individuals. Implying an addiction to certain foods is not necessary when applying certain approaches inspired by the addiction field for prevention and treatment of obesity. The usefulness of abstinence models in the treatment of eating disorders and obesity needs to be rigorously tested in future studies.
Validity and Reliability of a Korean Version of Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children (YFAS-C)
Kim, J. H., Song, J. H., Kim, R., Jang, M. Y., Hong, H. J., Kim, H. J., & Shin, S. H. (2019). Validity and Reliability of a Korean Version of Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children (YFAS-C). Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing, 49(1), 59–68. https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2019.49.1.59 From the research article’s abstract: “This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Korean version of Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children (YFAS-C). Participants were 419 young adolescent students (11~15 years old). The content validity of the expert group was calculated as the content validity index (CVI) after the translation and reverse translation process of the 25 items of the YFAS-C. The multitrait-multimethod matrix (MTMM) method was used to verify the construct validity; the generalized linear model (GLM) was used to evaluate the concurrent and incremental validity. Reliability was calculated as Kuder-Richardson-20 (KR-20) and Spearman-Brown coefficients. The CVI of the 25 items was greater than the item-level CVI .80 and the scale-level CVI .90. The Korean version of YFAS-C had verified convergent validity in emotional eating and external eating and discriminant validity in restrained eating. In addition, it had verified concurrent validity in emotional eating and external eating.
Validity and Reliability of a Korean Version of Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children (YFAS-C)
Kim, J. H., Song, J. H., Kim, R., Jang, M. Y., Hong, H. J., Kim, H. J., & Shin, S. H. (2019). Validity and Reliability of a Korean Version of Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children (YFAS-C). Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing, 49(1), 59–68. https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2019.49.1.59 From the validation study’s abstract: “The Korean version of YFAS-C is a valid scale and it can be a useful scale for preventing obesity by predicting food addiction early.”
Psychometric properties of the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 in an Italian non-clinical sample
Imperatori, C., Fabbricatore, M., Lester, D., Manzoni, G. M., Castelnuovo, G., Raimondi, G., & Innamorati, M. (2019). Psychometric properties of the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 in an Italian non-clinical sample. Eating and weight disorders, 24(1), 37–45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-018-0607-x From the psychometric study’s prevalence: “15 individuals (5.7%) met the criteria for a diagnosis of food addiction according to the mYFAS 2.0.”
Psychometric properties of the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 in an Italian non-clinical sample
Imperatori, C., Fabbricatore, M., Lester, D., Manzoni, G. M., Castelnuovo, G., Raimondi, G., & Innamorati, M. (2019). Psychometric properties of the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 in an Italian non-clinical sample. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 24(1), 37–45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-018-0607-x From the research article’s abstract: “Purpose: To assess the dimensionality and psychometric properties of the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (mYFAS 2.0) in an Italian non-clinical sample. Methods: 262 adults (184 women) were administered the Italian versions of the mYFAS 2.0, and questionnaires measuring binge eating severity, anxiety and depression symptoms, and emotional dysregulation. Results: 15 individuals (5.7%) met the criteria for a diagnosis of food addiction according to the mYFAS 2.0. Bayesian confirmatory factor analysis supported a single-factor solution for the mYFAS 2.0. The mYFAS 2.0 had good internal consistency (Ordinal α = 0.91), and convergent validity with binge eating severity (r = 0.67, p < 0.001), both anxiety (r = 0.31, p < 0.001) and depressive (r = 0.35, p < 0.001) symptoms, and difficulties in emotion regulation (r = 0.35, p < 0.001).
Psychometric properties of the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 in an Italian non-clinical sample
Imperatori, C., Fabbricatore, M., Lester, D., Manzoni, G. M., Castelnuovo, G., Raimondi, G., & Innamorati, M. (2019). Psychometric properties of the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 in an Italian non-clinical sample. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 24(1), 37–45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-018-0607-x From the research article’s abstract: “Purpose: To assess the dimensionality and psychometric properties of the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (mYFAS 2.0) in an Italian non-clinical sample. Methods: 262 adults (184 women) were administered the Italian versions of the mYFAS 2.0, and questionnaires measuring binge eating severity, anxiety and depression symptoms, and emotional dysregulation. Results: 15 individuals (5.7%) met the criteria for a diagnosis of food addiction according to the mYFAS 2.0. Bayesian confirmatory factor analysis supported a single-factor solution for the mYFAS 2.0. The mYFAS 2.0 had good internal consistency (Ordinal α = 0.91), and convergent validity with binge eating severity (r = 0.67, p < 0.001), both anxiety (r = 0.31, p < 0.001) and depressive (r = 0.35, p < 0.001) symptoms, and difficulties in emotion regulation (r = 0.35, p < 0.001).
Food addiction distinguishes an overweight phenotype that can be reversed by low calorie diet
Guzzardi, M. A., Garelli, S., Agostini, A., Filidei, E., Fanelli, F., Giorgetti, A., Mezzullo, M., Fucci, S., Mazza, R., Vicennati, V., Iozzo, P., & Pagotto, U. (2018). Food addiction distinguishes an overweight phenotype that can be reversed by low calorie diet. European Eating Disorders Review, 26(6), 657–670. https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.2652 From the research article’s abstract: “We assessed brain activation in response to food cues using 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose-PET in 36 overweight women, stratified by low or high food addiction groups according to the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS). Assessments were repeated after a 3-month diet. We found greater activation in thalamus, hypothalamus, midbrain, putamen, and occipital cortex (reward), but not in prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortices (control/reward receipt) in the high-YFAS versus low-YFAS group. In high-YFAS subjects, orbitofrontal responsiveness was inversely related to YFAS severity and hunger rating, and positive associations were observed between regional brain activation and lipid intake. A 3-month diet abolished group differences in brain activation. Our data suggest that food addiction distinguishes an overweight phenotype that can be reversed by diet, opening to personalized strategies in obesity treatment.”