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)