Are healthiness and pleasure dimensions perceived similarly by people with food addiction in Brazil? A case study using holistic sensory methodologies.

The relationship between the consumption of hyper-palatable ultra-processed foods and the process of addiction gains notoriety due to its relationship with obesity. Food addiction is a complex phenomenon intrinsically related to the individual's behavioral, emotional, and subjective aspects. Therefore, using classical approaches to sensory science may be insufficient to understand better the individual's sensory experience with hyper-palatable foods. In this context, sensory and consumer science techniques with holistic approaches have been aimed at accessing more subjective consumer perceptions. This study used the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0) to investigate the prevalence of food addiction and the Structured Projective Mapping (S-MP) and Sorting techniques to verify how individuals with and without food addiction perceive and understand different types of food. The prevalence of food addiction was 21.77% (n = 59 out of 271) and was associated with a higher BMI but not with sociodemographic aspects. Projective Mapping (RV = 0.937) and Sorting (RV = 0.934) indicated that perception in relation to attributes such as health and pleasure was similar for all investigated foods in individuals with or without food addiction. The presence of addictive eating behavior does not seem to be related to the way individuals perceive foods from different categories, for example, minimally or highly processed and hyper-palatable foods.

PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENTATION ATTENUATES BINGE EATING AND FOOD ADDICTION 1 YEAR AFTER ROUX-EN-Y GASTRIC BYPASS: A RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL.

AIM: The use of probiotics as adjuvants in the treatment of eating disorders, known as psychobiotics, has already been investigated as a means of modulating the microbiota-gut-brain axis. This study aimed to assess the effect of probiotic supplementation on binge eating and food addiction in subjects after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. METHODS: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 101 patients who received probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07) or placebo supplements for 90 days after bariatric surgery, starting on the seventh postoperative day. They were evaluated preoperatively (T0) and postoperatively at 90 days (T1) and 1 year (T2) after surgery. The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) and Binge Eating Scale (BES) were applied to assess food addiction and binge eating, respectively. RESULTS: Before surgery, one-third of the patients presented with a food addiction and binge eating diagnosis. The number of symptoms of YFAS and the BES score decreased significantly in both groups at T1 compared to T0. However, a significant effect of treatment with probiotics was observed 1 year after surgery (T2). Both the number of symptoms of food addiction and the binge eating score were lower in the probiotic group than in the placebo group (p=0.037 and p=0.030, respectively). CONCLUSION: The use of probiotic supplementation for 90 days in the immediate postoperative period may decrease food addiction symptoms and binge eating score up to 1 year after surgery compared to controls.

Food addiction among university students: The effect of mindful eating.

Recent evidence indicated that lifestyle modifications, especially mindful eating, might be effective interventions for treating food addiction (FA). Mindful eating practices have been considered to regulate emotional eating, which is one predictor of FA along with automatic eating behaviors, including emotional, impulsive, and habitual eating. Thus, this cross-sectional study aimed to determine the effect of mindful eating on FA of university students. The research team collected the data with 2133 undergraduate students. The Mindful Eating Questionnaire examined the mindfulness status of the students, and the FA diagnosed by using the YALE Food Addiction Scale. 56.9% of participants were women, with a mean age of 21.5 ± 2.2 and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 22.5 ± 3.8 kg/m2. Although no significant differences were observed regarding sex (p > .05), the FA prevalence among men (16.1%) was higher than women. The overall prevalence of FA was 15.3%, which was 1.5 units higher among those with BMI ≥25 kg/m2. Also, FA diagnosis was significantly more prevalent among smokers and ex-smokers (p < .01). In addition, participants diagnosed with FA had a significantly lower mean mindful eating score (p < .001). Furthermore, those with lower mindfulness levels had a 4.96 higher risk of being food addicted (p < .000). Those with FA diagnosis had significantly lower scores regarding subscales of "disinhibition," "emotional eating," "control of eating," "mindfulness," and "interference" (p < .001). Consequently, it should be highlighted that determining the level of individuals' mindful eating may have remarkable and cumulative impacts on both obesity and FA in the long term. Thus, increasing mindful eating may be suggested as an essential strategy to control FA among young individuals.

Nutritional parameters and lifestyle practices of people who use drugs undergoing treatment for recovery in Lebanon: a descriptive study.

Drug use disorder is a major public health problem. Once people who use drugs (PWUD) are referred to treatment, addressing their lifestyle practices and improving their quality of life improves treatment outcomes. The present study assessed the nutritional status and lifestyle practices among PWUD undergoing treatment for recovery in Lebanon. Furthermore, it explored significant differences in these parameters depending on the offered treatment modality, namely opioid substitution treatment (OST) and rehabilitation. In total, 187 PWUD undergoing treatment for recovery participated in this cross-sectional study. Nutritional status and anthropometrics, dietary intake, nutrition knowledge, food addiction, biochemical parameters, sleep and physical activity were measured using validated tools. Of the participants, 88⋅8 % were well nourished based on the Subjective Global Assessment. In total, 67 % gained weight during treatment placing them in the overweight category. This increase in weight was significantly higher in the rehabilitation group. It came in parallel with higher protein and energy intakes, higher rate of food addiction, and poor nutrition knowledge. Biochemical parameters, including fasting blood sugar, total protein, lipid profile and white blood cell count, were in the normal ranges. Moreover, the majority of participants exhibited poor quality sleep that was accentuated among the participants undergoing rehabilitation, in addition to activity levels that were mainly low in the OST group. PWUD undergoing treatment for recovery in Lebanon are subject to various vulnerability factors creating challenges to treatment. Longitudinal assessments to better understand health problems arising during treatment and to identify the components of a comprehensive health promotion intervention during treatment for recovery are needed.

Food Addiction and Tobacco Use Disorder: Common Liability and Shared Mechanisms.

As food addiction is being more commonly recognized within the scientific community, parallels can be drawn between it and other addictive substance use disorders, including tobacco use disorder. Given that both unhealthy diets and smoking are leading risk factors for disability and death, a greater understanding of how food addiction and tobacco use disorder overlap with one another is necessary. This narrative review aimed to highlight literature that investigated prevalence, biology, psychology, and treatment options of food addiction and tobacco use disorder. Published studies up to August 2020 and written in English were included. Using a biopsychosocial lens, each disorder was assessed together and separately, as there is emerging evidence that the two disorders can develop concurrently or sequentially within individuals. Commonalities include but are not limited to the dopaminergic neurocircuitry, gut microbiota, childhood adversity, and attachment insecurity. In addition, the authors conducted a feasibility study with the purpose of examining the association between food addiction symptoms and tobacco use disorder among individuals seeking tobacco use disorder treatment. To inform future treatment approaches, more research is necessary to identify and understand the overlap between the two disorders.

Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle through Mindfulness in University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The present study explored the effects of a second-generation mindfulness-based intervention known as flow meditation (Meditación-Fluir) in the improvement of healthy life behaviors. A sample of university students (n = 51) in Spain were randomly assigned to a seven-week mindfulness treatment or a waiting list control group. Results showed that compared to the control group, individuals in the mindfulness group demonstrated significant improvements across all outcome measures including healthy eating habits (balanced diet, intake rate, snacking between meals, decrease in consumption by negative emotional states, increased consumption by negative emotional states, amount of consumption, meal times, consumption of low-fat products), tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis consumption, and resting habits. There were differences between males and females in some of these variables and a better effect of the treatment was evident in the females of the experimental group when compared to the males. The flow meditation program shows promise for fostering a healthy lifestyle, thus decreasing behaviors related to maladaptive eating, tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis consumption as well as negative rest habits in university students. This mindfulness program could significantly contribute to the treatment of eating disorders and addictions, wherein negative emotional states and impulsivity are central features of the condition.

Towards a comprehensive theory of obesity and a healthy diet: The causal role of oxidative stress in food addiction and obesity.

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. Reactive oxygen species play a direct role in adipogenesis and oxidative stress modulates all factors involved in obesity including genetics, sleep, gut microbiome, insulin, ghrelin, inflammation, adipokines, leptin, stress, HPA axis, and the hypothalamus. CONCLUSIONS: The idea of thinking of combating obesity from the lens of calorie count, low carbohydrate, high or low-fat, vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, or animal-based diet is fundamentally wrong. The best way to look at obesity is through the framework of systemic redox homeostasis. Since redox homeostasis is tilted towards increased reactive oxygen species production, and excessive antioxidant intake can result in oxidative stress, an antioxidant and prooxidant food ratio of 2:3 per meal is the ideal nutritional ratio for good health and ideal weight. A ratio of 3:4 is ideal for obese individuals because of their state of chronic oxidative stress and inflammation. Physical activity, sleep quality, psychological stress, maternal prenatal diet and oxidative stress promoting disease conditions are important modulators of oxidative stress and obesity.

Do stress eating or compulsive eating influence metabolic health in a mindfulness-based weight loss intervention?

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to understand the associations of compulsive eating (CE) and stress eating (SE) with metabolic health among adults with obesity and whether mindfulness-based weight loss training may buffer these associations. METHOD: We used data from a trial in which we randomized 194 participants with obesity to a diet-exercise weight loss intervention with either mindful eating training plus mindfulness-based eating awareness and stress management training (n = 100) or active control components (n = 94). We measured CE, SE, weight, and fasting blood glucose (FBG) at baseline, and 6, 12 months, and 18 months. We tested CE and SE as both moderators and mediators of intervention effects on changes in metabolic health. RESULTS: Participants higher (+ 1 SD) in CE at baseline randomized to the mindfulness (vs. control) intervention had greater improvements in FBG at 18 months (p = .05). Twelve-month reductions in CE mediated the effect of the intervention on changes in FBG and weight at 12 and 18 months postbaseline (p ≤ .05). Furthermore, those higher (+ 1 SD) in SE at baseline were nearly 2 BMI points higher than those lower (-1 SD) in SE (p < .01). Decreases in SE (B = 3.42; p < .001; 95% CI [2.55, 4.30]) and CE (B = 0.45; p < .001; 95% CI [0.36, 0.54]) in all participants at 6 months were associated with greater weight loss at 18 months. CONCLUSIONS: Those with greater compulsive eating may reduce risk for metabolic decline by participating in a mindfulness-based weight loss program. Future obesity interventions should consider tailoring treatment toward trait-level characteristics, such as compulsive eating. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

The association between food addiction, disordered eating behaviors and food intake / A associação entre dependência alimentar, distúrbios do comportamento alimentar e dependência alimentar

ABSTRACT Objective This study was conducted with 370 undergraduate students to investigate the relationship between food intake, food addiction and disordered eating behavior. Methods The Yale Food Addiction Scale, Eating Attitude Test-26 and Food Frequency Questionnaire were used to assess food addiction, disordered eating behavior and food intake. Results A positive weak correlation was found between the Yale Food Addiction Scale and daily energy, carbohydrate and fat intake (r=0.228, p<0.001; r=0.222, p<0.001; r=0.225, p<0.001 respectively) whereas a negative weak correlation was found between Eating Attitude Test-26 and daily energy and carbohydrate intake (r=-0.105, p=0.044; r=-0.116, p=0.025 respectively). Conclusion Food intake is associated with food addiction and disordered eating behaviour. Further research should be conducted with a larger population also examining body composition, exercises and financial situation of the individuals because all of these factors have an influence on the nutritional status and eating behavior as well.

RESUMO Objetivo Participaram neste estudo 370 estudantes universitários. O objetivo era investigar a relação entre consumo alimentar, dependência alimentar e distúrbios do comportamento alimentar. Métodos A Escala de Dependência Alimentar de Yale, o Teste de Atitudes Alimentares-26 e o Questionário de Frequência Alimentar foram utilizados para avaliar a dependência alimentar, os transtornos do comportamento alimentar e o consumo alimentar. Resultados Verificaram-se uma correlação positiva fraca entre a Escala de Dependência Alimentar de Yale e a ingestão diária de calorias, carboidratos e gorduras (r=0,228, p<0,001; r=0,222, p<0,001; r=0,225, p<0,001 respectivamente) e uma correlação negativa fraca entre o Teste de Atitudes Alimentares-26 e o consumo diário de calorias e carboidratos (r=-0,105, p=0,044; r=-0,116, p=0,025 respectivamente). Conclusão O consumo alimentar está associado à dependência alimentar e aos distúrbios do comportamento alimentar. No futuro, devem ser realizadas pesquisas em amostras maiores e devem também ser avaliados a composição corporal, hábitos do exercício físico e a situação financeira dos indivíduos, pois esses fatores influenciam quer a sua situação nutricional, quer os seus comportamentos alimentares.

The prevalence of food addiction and its associations with plasma oxytocin level and anthropometric and dietary measurements in Iranian women with obesity.

Obesity is a prevalent public health problem, and food addiction (FA) is one of the most controversial factors in its management. Therefore, this study was designed to validate an FA questionnaire for Iranian women with obesity and to determine the prevalence of FA and its associations with plasma oxytocin (OT) levels as well as anthropometric and dietary measurements. In this descriptive-analytical study, 450 adult women with obesity were included. The prevalence of FA was determined with a valid Yale food addiction scale (YFAS). Macronutrient intakes were measured by a valid semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). In addition, plasma OT was measured after eight hours of fasting. In this study, the prevalence of FA was 26.2% in women with obesity. In comparison with class I obesity, the odds ratios (95% CI) of FA for class II and class III obesity were 2.5 (CI: 1.29-5.09) and 3.3 (CI: 1.69-6.4) respectively. Dietary intakes of energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat, saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and cholesterol were significantly higher in food-addicted (FAD) women compared to non-food-addicted (NFA) ones (p < 0.001). Moreover, plasma OT level was lower in FAD women with obesity than in NFA subjects (p = 0.02). In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that FA is prevalent in Iranian women with obesity. In addition, FA is related to obesity severity, dietary intakes of energy, carbohydrate, protein, fat, cholesterol, and plasma OT level.

"Making weight" during military service is related to binge eating and eating pathology for veterans later in life.

PURPOSE: "Making weight" behaviors are unhealthy weight control strategies intended to reduce weight in an effort to meet weight requirements. This study aimed to examine a brief measure of making weight and to investigate the relationship between making weight and weight, binge eating, and eating pathology later in life. METHODS: Participants were veterans [N = 120, mean age 61.7, mean body mass index (BMI) 38.0, 89.2% male, 74.2% Caucasian] who were overweight/obese and seeking weight management treatment. Participants completed the making weight inventory (MWI), a measure of making weight behaviors engaged in during military service, and validated measures of eating behavior. Analyses compared participants who engaged in at least one making weight behavior (MWI+) versus those who did not (MWI-). RESULTS: The MWI had good internal consistency. One-third of participants were MWI+ and two-thirds were MWI-. The most frequently reported behavior was excessive exercise, reported in one-quarter of the sample, followed by fasting/skipping meals, sauna/rubber suit, laxatives, diuretics, and vomiting. MWI+ participants were significantly more likely to be in a younger cohort of veterans, to be an ethnic/racial minority, and to engage in current maladaptive eating behaviors, including binge eating, vomiting, emotional eating, food addiction, and night eating, compared to the MWI- group. Groups did not differ on BMI. CONCLUSIONS: One-third of veterans who were overweight/obese screened positive for engaging in making weight behaviors during military service. Findings provide evidence that efforts to "make weight" are related to binge eating and eating pathology later in life. Future research and clinical efforts should address how to best eliminate unhealthy weight control strategies in military service while also supporting healthy weight management efforts.

A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel trial of closed-loop infraslow brain training in food addiction.

The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) is involved in food craving in obese food addicted individuals. This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel study explored the potential therapeutic effects of infraslow neurofeedback (ISF-NF) on food craving targeting the PCC in obese women with symptoms of food addiction. Participants received six sessions of either ISF-NF (n = 11) or placebo (n = 10) over a three-week period. There were no reported adverse effects. Electrophysiologically, there were significant increases in infraslow activity (p = 0.0002) and infraslow/beta nesting (p < 0.001) in the PCC in the ISF-NF group (mean r = 0.004 ± 0.002) compared to placebo (mean r = 0.02 ± 0.002) two days after the last intervention. Also, there was a significant decrease in different dimensions of state food craving compared to baseline and to placebo. Findings suggest that source localized IFS-NF results in electrophysiological changes and may be associated with reduced food craving. This trial is registered at www.anzctr.org.au , identifier, ACTRN12617000601336. This study was funded by the Otago Medical Research Grant: CT375.

The Food and Drug Addiction Epidemic: Targeting Dopamine Homeostasis.

Obesity is damaging the lives of more than 300 million people worldwide and maintaining a healthy weight using popular weight loss tactics remains a very difficult undertaking. Managing the obesity problem seems within reach, as better understanding develops, of the function of our genome in drug/nutrient responses. Strategies indicated by this understanding of nutriepigenomics and neurogenetics in the treatment and prevention of metabolic syndrome and obesity include moderation of mRNA expression by DNA methylation, and inhibition of histone deacetylation. Based on an individual's genetic makeup, deficient metabolic pathways can be targeted epigenetically by, for example, the provision of dietary supplementation that includes phytochemicals, vitamins, and importantly functional amino acids. Also, the chromatin structure of imprinted genes that control nutrients during fetal development can be modified. Pathways affecting dopamine signaling, molecular transport and nervous system development are implicated in these strategies. Obesity is a subtype of Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS) and these new strategies in the treatment and prevention of obesity target improved dopamine function. It is not merely a matter of gastrointestinal signaling linked to hypothalamic peptides, but alternatively, finding novel ways to improve ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic function and homeostasis.

Potential role for acupuncture in the treatment of food addiction and obesity.

Addressing the global obesity epidemic requires innovative approaches that are also acceptable to affected individuals. There is growing evidence suggesting that food addiction, one contributor to obesity, bears many similarities to drug and alcohol addiction, presenting a potential role for addiction-focused acupuncture as a novel treatment modality. In this perspective article, we begin by briefly reviewing the evidence linking food and drug/alcohol addiction. We then describe the development of an acupuncture-based protocol for treating opioid addiction in Hong Kong in the 1970s and discuss the evidence base for acupuncture's efficacy in treating a range of substance use disorders. Next, we describe acupuncture's proposed mechanism of action in attenuating withdrawal and promoting abstinence. Finally, we note the dearth of studies specifically examining the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating food addiction and suggest that more research should focus in this area as part of the effort to combat rising rates of obesity worldwide.

Role of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in Treatment of Addiction and Related Disorders: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Addiction and related disorders are devastating with their tremendous social, psychological, and physical consequences for which development of optimally effective treatments is long overdue. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is relatively safe and is becoming an emerging therapeutic tool for these conditions. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted using PubMed, PsycINFO, PsychiatryOnline and Cochrane Library ranging from year 2001 to 2017. RESULTS: Our search selected 70 related articles of which, based on the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) guidelines, 11 indicated Level-1 study quality and class-B strength of recommendation for rTMS in nicotine addiction (effective in 218/289 subjects who received rTMS as found in 11 studies). Level-2/Class-B evidence was found for alcohol and cocaine addictions (Alcohol: effective in 126/193 subjects who received rTMS as found in 8 studies; Cocaine: effective in 86/128 subjects, as found in 5 studies). For food cravings, Level-3/Class-B evidence was noted (effective in 134/169, found in 7 studies). However, the evidence was limited to Level-3/Class-C for heroin (10/20 subjects received active rTMS, effective in 1 study), methamphetamine (33/48 subjects received active rTMS, effective in 2 studies), cannabis (18/18 subjects received active rTMS, effective in 1 study), and pathological gambling (31/31 subjects received active rTMS, effective in 2 studies). CONCLUSION: rTMS may serve as an emerging therapeutic option for addiction and related disorders. The major lacunae include important methodological limitations and dearth of knowledge about precise mechanism of action that need to be addressed in the future studies.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Therapy.

Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) has been utilized in China for more than 2,000 years, and it has been practiced in treatment of substance addiction and non-substance addictions. TCM have efficacy in the rehabilitation of abnormal physical problems induced by chronic drug use, including improving immune function, increasing working memory, and protecting against neurological disorders. Given that TCM is potentially effective in the prevention of relapse, it has been suggested that TCM may be the ideal choice in the future for the treatment of opiate addiction. This review examines the significance of effective Chinese herbs and prescriptions for Drug Addiction, Alcohol addiction and food addiction.

Nutrition Support Therapy.

In most addictions, serious nutritional deficiencies of major proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals exist which prevent their capability to digest carbohydrates efficiently. This review aims to point out some treatment approaches in nutrition management for alcohol addiction, drug addiction, food addiction, Internet addiction and sex addiction, according to existing literatures.

Brain stimulation in obesity.

Obesity is taking up epidemic proportions worldwide with significant impacts on the health of both the affected individual and on society as a whole. Treatment approaches consist of behavioural and pharmacological approaches, however, these are often found to be ineffective. In severe obesity, bariatric surgery is frequently performed. Unfortunately, 40% of patients show substantial weight gain over the long term or display the associated metabolic syndrome, making the development of novel therapies necessary. This review summarizes some of the current conceptual models, in particularly the 'food addiction' model, and then discusses specific therapeutic targets of brain stimulation, both non-invasive (transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (VNS)) and invasive (deep brain stimulation and invasive VNS). As we will show, neuromodulatory approaches represent a promising tool for targeting specific brain structures implicated in the pathophysiology of obesity. Non-invasive techniques such as TMS, tDCS and transcutaneous VNS need further investigation before they may become ready for clinical usage. The currently available study data suggest that deep brain stimulation may become an effective and acceptable therapy for otherwise treatment-resistant obese patients. The results of the currently undergoing clinical trials are eagerly awaited.