Using latent class analysis to identify different clinical profiles according to food addiction symptoms in obesity with and without binge eating disorder.

Background and aims: Existing research suggests that food addiction (FA) is associated with binge eating disorder (BED) and obesity, but the clinical significance of this relationship remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the different clinical profiles of FA symptoms among patients who have obesity with/without BED using latent class analysis (LCA). Methods: 307 patients (n = 152 obesity and BED, n = 155 obesity without BED) completed a battery of self-report measures investigating eating psychopathology, depression, emotional dysregulation, alexithymia, schema domains, and FA. LCA and ANOVAs were conducted to identify profiles according to FA symptoms and examine differences between classes. Results: LCA identified five meaningful classes labeled as the "non-addicted" (40.4%), the "attempters" (20.2%), the "interpersonal problems" (7.2%), the "high-functioning addicted" (19.5%) and the "fully addicted" (12.7%) classes. Patients with BED and obesity appeared overrepresented in the "high-functioning addicted" and "fully addicted" classes; conversely, patients with obesity without BED were most frequently included in the "non-addicted" class. The most significant differences between the "high-functioning addicted" and "fully addicted" classes versus the "non-addicted" class regarded heightened severity of eating and general psychopathology. Discussion and conclusions: The results bring to light distinct clinical profiles based on FA symptoms. Notably, the "high-functioning addicted" class is particularly intriguing as its members demonstrate physical symptoms of FA (i.e., tolerance and withdrawal) and psychological ones (i.e., craving and consequences) but are not as functionally impaired as the "fully addicted" class. Identifying different profiles according to FA symptoms holds potential value in providing tailored and timely interventions.

The qualitative evaluation of food addiction across the lifespan.

Although it remains controversial, food addiction (FA) research has expanded substantially and empirical evidence for FA is growing. While quantitative studies have explored the prevalence and correlates of FA during childhood and adolescence, little is known about the perceived lived experience of FA across the lifespan, nor how experiences and perceptions of FA may change over time. For this study, 16 participants who met symptom threshold criteria for FA on the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 completed in-depth, semi-structured qualitative interviews focused on their perceptions of the development of FA overtime, and perceived risk and protective factors. Thematic analysis was used to develop themes about the lived experience of FA in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Overall, highly palatable foods were viewed as the most problematic, while minimally processed foods were less associated with impairment and distress. Themes in childhood included a strong desire for highly processed foods and the perception that parental control over food choices could be either protective or risky for the later development of FA depending on which foods were available at home. In adolescence and young adulthood, increasing autonomy over food choices and the high availability of highly processed foods in the college environment were viewed as risk factors. Additionally, weight gain was a prominent theme. Finally, adulthood was characterized by more severe manifestations of FA, and the stress of adult responsibilities (e.g., work, parenting) contributed to this perception. This research sets the stage for future quantitative studies to explore these novel findings at the population level.

Association between food addiction with ultra-processed food consumption and eating patterns in a Brazilian sample.

The study objectives were to determine whether consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and eating patterns are associated with food addiction (FA) in a Brazilian sample. This is a cross-sectional study. The Brazilian Food and Nutrition Surveillance System tool assessed food consumption markers and dietary patterns. The modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 was used to determine FA. 5946 participants were included with a mean age of 24 ± 6 years, and 4371 (73.5%) were female. After statistical adjustments for confounders, individuals with FA had lower consumption of fresh fruits (PR: 0.88; 95%CI: [0.79; 0.97]), vegetables (PR: 0.87; 95%CI: [0.79; 0.97]), and beans (PR: 0.85; 95%CI: [0.77; 0.95]). They also had higher consumption of UPF: hamburgers/sausages (PR: 1.15; 95%CI: [1.04; 1.27]), instant noodles, packaged snacks, and/or salty cookies (PR: 1.27; 95%CI: [1.13; 1.42]), and sandwich cookies, sweets, and/or treats (PR: 1.26; 95%CI: [1.14; 1.40]). Positive associations between FA and having meals in front of the screen (PR: 1.48; 95%CI: [1.28; 1.71]) and having a late-night snack (PR: 1.24; 95%CI: [1.11; 1.39]) remained. The negative association between FA and skipping breakfast (PR: 0.76; 95%CI: [0.68; 0.85]) also remained. These eating patterns may contribute to FA, which could be potential targets for clinical intervention.

Food addiction in Bulimia Nervosa: Analysis of body composition, psychological and problematic foods profile.

Introduction: Food Addiction (FA) has been related with eating disorders (ED), especially Bulimia Nervosa (BN). BN + FA may have different physical characteristics than patients with BN without the comorbidity, such as body mass index (BMI) or body composition, and psychological as emotion regulation. However, the relationship between psychological and physical aspects, connected by problematic food and its influence on body composition, has been barely studied. Therefore, the aims of the present study are. Aims: (a) To explore the differences in body composition between FA positive (FA+) and negative (FA-) in women with BN; (b) to identify problematic relationship with certain food types, according with the foods mentioned in the YFAS scale questionnaire, between FA+ and FA- patients; (c) to know the psychological characteristic differences between FA+ and FA- patients, considering emotion regulation, personality traits and general psychopathological state; (d) to identify the relationship between physical and psychological traits, and the identified problematic foods, in patients with BN and FA. Methodology: N = 81 BN women patients, with a mean age of 29.73 years ± 9.80 SD, who completed the questionnaires: Yale Food Addiction Scale V 1.0 (YFAS 1.0), Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2), Symptom Checklist-90 Items-Revised (SCL-90-R), and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Strategies (DERS). YFAS problematic foods were grouped considering their principal nutrients sources. Body composition and difference in metabolic age was determined using bioimpedance analyzer. Results: The 88% of patients with BN presented FA+. Patients with BN who were FA+ self-reported more problematic relationships with sweets and starches. Also presented higher emotion regulation difficulties, general psychopathology and eating symptomatology severity, than those without FA. Finally, emotional regulation difficulties were positively associated with higher eating disorder symptomatology and more types of foods self-reported as problematic, which increased indirectly fat mass. Conclusion: The results suggest that BN + FA presented more eating and psychopathology symptomatology and higher problems with specific food types. As well, the path analysis emphasized that emotion regulation difficulties might be related with problematic food relationship in BN, impacting over the ED severity. Implications: The results may impact the development of precise therapies for patients with BN + FA.

Prevalence of food addiction and its association with anxiety, depression, and adherence to social distancing measures in Brazilian university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide study.

The study's objective was to determine the prevalence of food addiction (FA) in Brazilian university students and to verify whether there is an association with anxiety, depression, and adherence to the social distancing measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a nationwide cross-sectional study carried out through the application of online questionnaires. Self-reported data on age, sex, economic class, race/skin color, anthropometric data, depression diagnosis, anxiety, modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (mYFAS 2.0), and adherence to social distancing measures were collected. 5368 participants were included, with a mean age was 24.1 ± 6.3 years, the majority were female (n = 3990; 74.3%), and the mean BMI in our sample was 24.5 ± 5.3 kg/m2. The prevalence of FA was 19.1% (95%CI: 18.0; 20.0%). An association was observed between FA with depression (PR: 1.60; 95%CI: 1.43; 1.78; p < 0.01), and anxiety (3.13; 95%CI: 2.74; 3.58; p < 0.01), but not with adherence to social distancing measures (p = 0.70). In conclusion, there was a higher prevalence of FA in Brazilian university students. Besides, university students with anxiety, depression, overweight, or obesity and females are more prone to FA.Level of evidence Level V, Opinions of authorities, based on descriptive studies, narrative reviews, clinical experience, or reports of expert committees.