| dc.description.abstracteng | Introduction: Food addiction (FA) is a promising construct
regarding the multifactorial aetiology of obesity and the
search for therapeutic approaches. However, there is an
ongoing debate regarding the overlap/differentiation with
eating disorders and the classification as a substance- or
behaviour-related addiction. Energy-dense foods, especially
those combining carbohydrates and fat, are associated with
addictive eating and suspected of playing a role in the
genesis of FA. This study aims to further understand the
clinical significance of FA and to identify possible therapeutic
targets. A special focus is set on potentially addictive
foods (combination of carbohydrates and fat). Methods:
Based on the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0, a cohort of
112 German adults with morbid obesity was divided into
two sub-samples (patients with and without FA), which were
examined for differences in the variables listed below.
Results: The prevalence of FA was 25%. Patients meeting
criteria for FA showed higher degrees of hunger, emotional,
binge, and night eating than patients without FA. In addition,
hunger and disinhibition were found to be significant
predictors of FA. FA was not associated with sex, age, body mass index (BMI), cognitive restraint, rigid and flexible
control, prevalence of substance use, age of onset of obesity,
stress level, level of social support, reduction of BMI during a
weight loss programme, or programme withdrawal rate.
There was no significant difference in the consumption of
foods rich in both carbohydrates and fat, nor of fat or
carbohydrates alone. Conclusion: FA can be considered as a
sub-phenotype of obesity, occurring in approximately 25%
of obesity cases. Dysfunctional emotional coping mechanisms
associated with low distress tolerance showed to be
significantly related to FA and should be targeted therapeutically.
Behavioural interventions should include a biopsycho-
social model. Binge eating episodes were found to
be characteristic for FA and the already stated overlap
between FA and binge eating behaviour can be confirmed.
The results do not support a decisive difference due to a
substance-related component of FA. Despite this, the existence
of FA as a distinct entity cannot be excluded, as not all
patients with FA exhibit binges. | de |