OBJECTIVE: The concept of food addiction in obesity and binge eating disorder (BED) continues to be a hotly debated topic yet the empirical evidence on the relationship between addictive-like eating and clinically relevant eating disorders is limited. The current study examined the association of food addiction as assessed by the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) with measures of disordered eating, dieting/weight history, and related psychopathology in a racially diverse sample of obese patients with binge eating disorder (BED). METHOD: A consecutive series of 96 obese patients with BED who were seeking treatment for obesity and binge eating in primary care were given structured interviews to assess psychiatric disorders and eating disorder psychopathology and a battery of self-report measures including the YFAS to assess food addiction. RESULTS: Classification of food addiction was met by 41.5% (n=39) of BED patients. Patients classified as meeting YFAS food addiction criteria had significantly higher levels of negative affect, emotion dysregulation, and eating disorder psychopathology, and lower self-esteem. Higher scores on the YFAS were related to an earlier age of first being overweight and dieting onset. YFAS scores were also significant predictors of binge eating frequency above and beyond other measures. DISCUSSION: Compared to patients not classified as having food addiction, the subset of 41.5% of BED patients who met the YFAS food addiction cut-off appears to have a more severe presentation of BED and more associated pathology.
OBJECTIVE: The concept of food addiction in obesity and binge eating disorder (BED) continues to be a hotly debated topic yet the empirical evidence on the relationship between addictive-like eating and clinically relevant eating disorders is limited. The current study examined the association of food addiction as assessed by the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) with measures of disordered eating, dieting/weight history, and related psychopathology in a racially diverse sample of obesepatients with binge eating disorder (BED). METHOD: A consecutive series of 96 obesepatients with BED who were seeking treatment for obesity and binge eating in primary care were given structured interviews to assess psychiatric disorders and eating disorder psychopathology and a battery of self-report measures including the YFAS to assess food addiction. RESULTS: Classification of food addiction was met by 41.5% (n=39) of BEDpatients. Patients classified as meeting YFAS food addiction criteria had significantly higher levels of negative affect, emotion dysregulation, and eating disorder psychopathology, and lower self-esteem. Higher scores on the YFAS were related to an earlier age of first being overweight and dieting onset. YFAS scores were also significant predictors of binge eating frequency above and beyond other measures. DISCUSSION: Compared to patients not classified as having food addiction, the subset of 41.5% of BEDpatients who met the YFAS food addiction cut-off appears to have a more severe presentation of BED and more associated pathology.
Authors: Debra L Franko; Amy Jenkins; James P Roehrig; Kristine H Luce; Janis H Crowther; Rachel F Rodgers Journal: Int J Eat Disord Date: 2012-01-24 Impact factor: 4.861
Authors: Nora D Volkow; Gene-Jack Wang; Joanna S Fowler; Frank Telang Journal: Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci Date: 2008-10-12 Impact factor: 6.237
Authors: Alicia L Carreiro; Jaapna Dhillon; Susannah Gordon; Kelly A Higgins; Ashley G Jacobs; Breanna M McArthur; Benjamin W Redan; Rebecca L Rivera; Leigh R Schmidt; Richard D Mattes Journal: Annu Rev Nutr Date: 2016-07-17 Impact factor: 11.848