Validation and assessment of psychometric properties of the Greek Eating Behaviors Assessment for Obesity (GR-EBA-O).

INTRODUCTION: With increasing morbidity and risk of death, obesity has become a serious health problem largely attributable to difficulties in finding proper treatments for related diseases. Many studies show how detecting abnormal eating behaviors could be useful in developing effective clinical treatments. This study aims at validating the Greek version of the Eating Behaviors Assessment for Obesity (EBA-O). METHOD: After a double English/Greek forward/backward translation of the EBA-O, 294 participants completed the Greek version (GR-EBA-O), the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, the Binge Eating Scale, and the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and construct validity were calculated, and Two-way MANOVA was computed with the factors of GR-EBA-O controlling for sex and BMI categories. RESULTS: CFA confirmed the second-order five factors (i.e., food addiction, night eating, binge eating, sweet eating, and prandial hyperphagia) structure of the original EBA-O with excellent fit indices. GR-EBA-O factors were highly correlated. The GR-EBA-O subscales were also significantly correlated with the remaining measures, demonstrating good concurrent validity. CONCLUSION: The Greek version of the EBA-O has demonstrated sound psychometric properties and appears a reliable and user-friendly tool to identify pathological eating behaviors in obesity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V, descriptive research.

Brazilian Version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale for Individuals with Severe Obesity.

PURPOSE: Adapting and validating the Portuguese version of Br-YFAS 2.0-Obes to allow it to be used by the Brazilian candidates for bariatric surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 329 individuals with body mass indexes (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2, candidates for bariatric surgery at a reference hospital in Brazil. They were given a questionnaire that identified sociodemographic data, and the YFAS 2.0 scale, Portuguese version (BR-YFAS2.0-Obes), was applied to assess their food dependence levels. The Food Craving Questionnaire - Trait: The FCQ-T-reduced was subsequently used for a correlation analysis. RESULTS: The patients' average BMI was 41.6 ± 8.8 kg/m2. Br-YFAS2.0-Obes presented an average of 4.9 ± 3.1 for the FA diagnostic criteria. The resulting values of the Comparative Fit Index, Tucker Lewis Index, and Standardized Root Mean Square Residual were 0.990, 0.986, and 0.074, respectively. The internal consistency analysis of the 11 domains presented a Kuder-Richardson α of 0.82. The convergent validity, obtained through an analysis of the Pearson correlation coefficient, was r = 0.43 (p < 0.001). It was found that an increase in the number of Br-YFAS 2.0-Obes symptoms is associated with an increase in the FCQ-T-r mean. CONCLUSION: Much like the YFAS 2.0 in other languages, the BR-YFAS 2.0-Obes presented adequate convergent validity, reliability, and one-factor structure results, which makes it suitable for Brazilian candidates for bariatric surgery or any individual who is within BMI > = 30 kg/m2.

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.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with food addiction in Brazilian women living in poverty.

Food addiction (FA) has been widely investigated. For the first time, two studies reported its association with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) in the general population and populations with mental disorders and undergoing bariatric surgery. However, the relationship between FA and DM2 needs to be better explored in different social contexts and population groups. Given this, the present study aims to evaluate whether DM2 diagnosis is associated with FA diagnosis in women living in poverty. This is a cross-sectional, population-based study conducted in a Brazilian capital city. FA was assessed by the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale (mYFAS) 2.0, and DM2 diagnosis was assessed by self-reporting of previous medical diagnosis. The association was assessed by multivariable Poisson regression with robust variance estimation adjusted for age, poverty situation, race/skin colour, physical activity and BMI. A total of 1878 women were included, of whom 15·1 % had FA and 3·2 % had a medical diagnosis of DM2. In the multivariable analysis, the medical diagnosis of DM2 was associated with FA (prevalence ratio, PR: 2·18; 95 % CI (1·26, 3·76)). The DM2 diagnosis was also identified to be associated with role interference (PR: 1·93; 95 % CI (1·01, 3·67)) symptom of FA. In conclusion, a positive association between FA and DM2 in women living in poverty was observed, information that adds to the current evidence already available in the literature, pointing to a new line of research and integrated care.

[Psychometric validation of the Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children (YFAS-C) in Spanish in a Mexican population]. / Validación psicométrica de la escala Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children (YFAS-C) al idioma español en población mexicana.

Introduction: Introduction: Mexico is one of the countries with the highest prevalence of childhood obesity worldwide. The increase of addictive behaviors at an early age is a possible cause of its development. The Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children (YFAS-C) allows identifying children with food addictive behaviors. Objective: to validate the YFAS-C scale in Spanish in a population sample of Mexican children and adolescents. Material and methods: an exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was performed. The study sample consisted of 448 children from seven to 14 years of age. The first stage involved translation into Spanish; a second stage involved the solution of questions with discrepancies; then, a reverse translation into the original language and a review by experts on the subject of eating disorders in pediatric population were performed; and in the last stage, a pilot test in order to culturally adapt the instrument and the evaluation of the psychometric properties was carried out. Results: using the principal component extraction method, four components were identified that explained 47.1 % of the sample variance. In the confirmatory factor analysis, it was found that the goodness-of-fit indices met the required values (CFI = 0.906: GFI = 0.932; AGFI = 0.915, SRMS = 0.007 and RMSEA = 0.043). Conclusions: a validated Spanish version of the YFAS-C scale was obtained for Mexican children and adolescents to assess food addiction.

Introducción: Introducción: México es uno de los países con mayor prevalencia de obesidad infantil a nivel mundial. El aumento de comportamientos adictivos a temprana edad es una posible causa de su desarrollo. La escala de adicción a los alimentos para niños Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children (YFAS-C) permite identificar a los niños con conductas adictivas. Objetivo: validar la escala YFAS-C en español en una muestra de niñas/niños y adolescentes mexicanos. Material y métodos: se realizó un análisis factorial exploratorio y confirmatorio, con una muestra de estudio conformada por 448 niños de siete a 14 años de edad. En la primera etapa se realizó la traducción al español; en la segunda etapa, la solución de preguntas con discrepancias; posteriormente, una traducción inversa al idioma original y una revisión por expertos en el tema de trastornos alimenticios en población pediátrica; y en la última etapa, una prueba piloto con el fin de adaptar culturalmente el instrumento y la evaluación de las propiedades psicométricas. Resultados: utilizando el método de extracción de componentes principales, se identificaron cuatro componentes que explicaron el 47,1 % de la varianza muestral. En el análisis factorial confirmatorio se encontró que los índices de bondad de ajuste cumplieron con los valores requeridos (CFI = 0,906; GFI = 0,932; AGFI = 0,915; SRMS = 0,007; RMSEA = 0,043). Conclusiones: se obtuvo una versión validada al español de la escala YFAS-C para niñas/niños y adolescentes mexicanos que permitirá evaluar la adicción a la comida.

Food addiction and its impact on weight status in children and adolescents: The mediating role of responsive eating pattern.

AIMS: This research explores the relationships between food addiction (FA), eating behaviours, and weight status in school-aged children and adolescents, aiming to understand how FA influences weight. METHODS: By using a cross-sectional design, 426 healthy children and their parents were enroled in Eastern China. FA was assessed using the Chinese version of the Dimensional Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children 2.0 (dYFAS-C 2.0), while eating patterns were identified using latent profile analysis (LPA) derived from the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ). Weight status was indicated by Body Mass Index Z Score (BMIZ) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). The associations among FA, eating patterns, and weight status were explored using structural equation modelling (SEM). RESULTS: Two eating patterns, the Responsive and the Controlled Eating Patterns, were identified. The Responsive Eating Pattern was characterized by high food responsiveness, enjoyment of food, emotional eating, fast eating, low satiety responsiveness, and food fussiness and was associated with FA and weight status (p < 0.001). The SEM results showed the Responsive Eating Pattern partially mediated the relationship between FA and weight status, with a mediation effect of 1.183 (95% CI [0.784, 1.629]) for BMIZ and 0.043 (95% CI [0.025, 0.063]) for WHtR. CONCLUSION: Increased FA is associated with a higher weight status through a specific eating behaviour pattern characterized by high responsiveness to food, emotional and rapid eating habits, and low satiety. The findings suggest that targeted interventions should take these eating behaviour patterns into account to reduce the impact of FA on weight status among children and adolescents.

Independent associations of food addiction and binge eating measures with real-time eating behaviors and contextual factors: An exploratory ecological momentary assessment study.

Food addiction (FA) is a concept centered around the addictive potential of highly palatable processed foods, though there is debate over the discriminative validity of FA as a distinct construct from binge-eating symptomatology. This study explored how trait measures of FA and binge-eating symptoms independently and interactively predicted eating behaviors and posited correlates of FA and binge eating measured via ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Adult participants (N = 49) who met the criteria for FA and/or binge-eating disorder completed baseline measures of FA (Yale Food Addiction Scale [YFAS 2.0]) and binge-eating symptoms (Eating Pathology Symptom Inventory [EPSI] binge eating scale) followed by a 10-day EMA protocol. Generalized linear mixed models examined the independent effects of YFAS 2.0, EPSI, and their interaction predicting EMA outcomes. Higher YFAS 2.0 symptom count scores were uniquely related to greater EMA-measured overeating, loss of control eating, negative and positive affect, and impulsivity when controlling for EPSI scores. Conversely, higher EPSI scores were uniquely related to greater EMA-measured eagerness and urge to eat, and expectancies that eating would improve mood. No interaction effects were significant. These results highlight potential distinctions between phenomena captured by FA and other measures of binge eating, in that FA symptoms may be a marker of heightened binge-eating severity, emotional arousal, and impulsivity.

Food addiction behavior in patients with newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: The concept of food addiction describes the difficulties of some individuals with regard to food consumption. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of food addiction and its association with body mass index (BMI), calorie consumption and therapeutic control in patients with newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 1,080 patients with T2DM were included. The degree of metabolic control was determined with the levels of glycated hemoglobin, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and blood pressure. Daily caloric consumption was estimated with a semi-quantitative questionnaire of food consumption frequency. RESULTS: Nearly all patients showed overweight (40.5 %) and obesity (49.1 %). The frequency of food addiction was 54.2 % (56.9 % in women and 48.9 % in men). Food addiction was associated with BMI (OR = 1.89, p ≤ 0.05), high caloric intake (OR = 1.14, p ≤ 0.05) and glycated hemoglobin > 7 % (OR = 1.43, p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Food addiction is common in patients with overweight/obesity and newly-diagnosed T2DM, and is associated with higher-than-recommended caloric consumption, obesity degree and poor metabolic control.

ANTECEDENTES: El concepto de adicción a la comida describe las dificultades de algunos individuos respecto al consumo de comida. OBJETIVO: Determinar la frecuencia de la adicción a la comida y su asociación con el índice de masa corporal (IMC), consumo de calorías y control terapéutico en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DMT2) de diagnóstico reciente. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se incluyeron 1080 pacientes con DMT2. Se determinó el grado de control terapéutico con niveles de hemoglobina glicada, colesterol de baja densidad y presión arterial. El consumo diario de calorías fue estimado con un cuestionario semicuantitativo de frecuencia de consumo de alimentos. RESULTADOS: Casi todos los pacientes mostraron sobrepeso (40.5 %) y obesidad (49.1 %). La frecuencia de adicción a la comida fue de 54.2 % (56.9 % en mujeres y 48.9 % en hombres). La adicción a la comida se asoció a IMC (RM = 1.89, p ≤ 0.05), alto consumo calórico (RM = 1.14, p ≤ 0.05) y hemoglobina glicada > 7 % (RM = 1.43, p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSIONES: La adicción a la comida es frecuente en pacientes con sobrepeso/obesidad y DMT2 recientemente diagnosticada y se asocia al consumo calórico superior a lo recomendado, grado de obesidad y pobre control terapéutico.

Prevalence and correlates of addictive eating behaviours in a large cohort of Australian adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Research shows highly palatable foods can elicit addictive eating behaviours or 'food addiction'. Early adolescence is theorised to be a vulnerable period for the onset of addictive eating behaviours, yet minimal research has examined this. This study explored the prevalence and correlates of addictive eating behaviours in a large early adolescent sample. METHODS: 6640 Australian adolescents (Mage = 12.7 ± 0.5, 49%F) completed an online survey. Addictive eating was measured with the Child Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS-C). Negative-binomial generalised linear models examined associations between addictive eating symptoms and high psychological distress, energy drink consumption, sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption, alcohol use, and cigarette use. RESULTS: Mean YFAS-C symptom criteria count was 1.36 ± 1.47 (of 7). 18.3% of participants met 3+ symptoms, 7.5% endorsed impairment and 5.3% met the diagnostic threshold for food addiction. All examined behavioural and mental health variables were significantly associated with addictive eating symptoms. Effects were largest for high psychological distress and cigarette use; with those exhibiting high psychological distress meeting 0.65 more criteria (95%CI = 0.58-0.72, p < 0.001) and those who smoked a cigarette meeting 0.51 more criteria (95%CI = 0.26-0.76, p < 0.001). High psychological distress and consumption of SSB and energy drinks remained significant when modelling all predictors together. CONCLUSION: In this large adolescent study, addictive eating symptoms were common. Further research should establish directionality and causal mechanisms behind the association between mental ill-health, alcohol and tobacco use, and addictive eating behaviours. Cross-disciplinary prevention initiatives that address shared underlying risk factors for addictive eating and mental ill-health may offer efficient yet substantial public health benefits.

Comparison of binge-eating disorder and food addiction.

In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, binge-eating disorder (BED) is classified as episodes of binge eating while not being hungry, eating too fast until feeling uncomfortably full, or eating in solitude with feelings of shame and disgust after eating, without compensatory mechanisms. The controversial disorder food addiction (FA) is characterized by overconsumption, cravings, failure to cut down on amounts of food, and withdrawal and tolerance to overeating. In this narrative review, we aimed to comprehensively characterize and compare BED and FA. We searched PubMed using the keywords "binge-eating disorder" and "food addiction." We finally included 51 publications according to topic specificity, credibility, the authors' reputation, and non-bias criteria. BED is characterized by concerns about dietary issues, body shape, and weight as well as depressive symptoms and brooding rumination. FA can be divided into substance addiction and behavioral addiction, which can be differentiated using a list of criteria including hunger, taste, pleasure, function of food, loss of social connections, weight concerns, and awareness about the disorder. Further research is needed to further characterize and distinguish BED and FA.

Eating Compulsivity in Inpatients with Severe Obesity and the General Population: The Italian Version of the Measure of Eating Compulsivity (MEC10-IT).

This study aimed to validate and investigate the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Measure of Eating Compulsivity-10 (MEC10-IT) in a sample of inpatients with severe obesity (Study 1), and to test the measurement invariance of the measure across non-clinical and clinical samples (Study 2). In the first study, a confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA) was conducted among 452 patients in order to confirm the factorial structure of the MEC10-IT. In the second study, the psychometric properties of the MEC10-IT were tested on 453 inpatients with severe obesity and a community sample of 311 participants. The CFA confirmed the factorial structure of the MEC10-IT among an Italian sample of adult inpatients with severe obesity (Study 1). The MEC10-IT was also demonstrated to be invariant between the clinical and the community sample and to possess good psychometric properties, as well as excellent screening abilities for classifying individuals with problematic eating behaviors (Study 2). In conclusion, the MEC10-IT could be considered as a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of compulsive eating in both non-clinical and clinical samples and represents a psychometrically sound measure for clinical and research purposes.

Psychometric validation of the full Yale food addiction scale for children 2.0 among adolescents from the general population and adolescents with a history of mental disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Food addiction is a phenotype characterised by an addiction-like attraction to highly processed foods. Adolescence is a sensitive period for developing addictive disorders. Therefore, a valid measure to assess food addiction in adolescents is needed. Accordingly, the aim of the study was to establish a categorical scoring option for the full version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children 2.0 (YFAS-C 2.0), and to psychometrically validate the full YFAS-C 2.0. METHOD: The data stem from the Food Addiction Denmark (FADK) Project. Random samples of 3750 adolescents from the general population aged 13-17 years, and 3529 adolescents with a history mental disorder of the same age were invited to participate in a survey including the full version of the YFAS-C 2.0. A confirmatory factor analysis was carried out and the weighted prevalence of food addiction was estimated. RESULTS: The confirmatory factor analysis of the YFAS-C 2.0 supported a one-factor model in both samples. The weighted prevalence of food addiction was 5.0% in the general population, and 11.2% in the population with a history of mental disorder. CONCLUSIONS: The full version of the YFAS-C 2.0 is a psychometrically valid measure for assessing clinically significant food addiction in adolescents.

Prevalence of food addiction determined by the Yale Food Addiction Scale in Latin America: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Food addiction (FA) has been extensively investigated worldwide; however, the prevalence of FA in the Latin American population has yet to be established and past work has largely neglected the specificities of this region, that includes the most significant economic disparities in the world. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of FA measured by the Yale Food Addiction Scale in Latin America. METHOD: The search was performed on MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, LILACS, IBECS, SciELO, PsycArticles, CENTRAL, and the gray literature. FA prevalence data were collected, and random effects meta-analyses were performed to calculate the overall weighted prevalence, the prevalence by country, and by clinical and non-clinical samples. RESULTS: A total of 10,082 occurrences were identified through database searches, and 23 studies were included (Mexico = 9; Brazil = 7; Chile = 4; Argentina = 1; Peru = 1; Uruguay = 1). The prevalence of FA found in clinical samples was 38% (95% CI: 16%-63%; I2  = 98.67%; 8 studies), while in non-clinical samples, it was 15% (95% CI: 10%-21%; I2  = 98.51%; 15 studies). DISCUSSION: The average prevalence of FA in the Latin American countries included here was in accordance with that reported in other regions worldwide. It is noteworthy that the studies were conducted only in six countries, which are among those with the highest income in the region and do not represent the situation in native populations or those with lower purchasing power. This gap in the data also reflects the effects of economic disparities on the availability of empirical data in the region. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: The prevalence of food addiction in Latin America was similar to that reported in other regions. It was higher among individuals with overweight, whether or not undergoing bariatric surgery, than in non-clinical samples. These findings contribute to aggregate information about this condition that has drawn the attention of clinicians and researchers.

OBJETIVO: La adicción a la comida (FA, por sus siglas en inglés) ha sido ampliamente investigada en todo el mundo; sin embargo, la prevalencia de la FA en la población latinoamericana aún no se ha establecido y el trabajo previo ha descuidado en gran medida las especificidades de esta región, que incluye las disparidades económicas más significativas del mundo. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la prevalencia de FA medida por la Escala de Adicción a la Comida de Yale en América Latina. MÉTODO: La búsqueda se realizó en MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, LILACS, IBECS, SciELO, PsycArticles, CENTRAL y la literatura gris. Se recopilaron datos de prevalencia de FA y se realizaron metanálisis de efectos aleatorios para calcular la prevalencia ponderada general, la prevalencia por país y por muestras clínicas y no clínicas. RESULTADO: Se identificaron 10 082 casos mediante búsquedas en bases de datos y se incluyeron 23 estudios (México = 9; Brasil = 7; Chile = 4; Argentina = 1; Perú = 1; Uruguay = 1). La prevalencia de FA encontrada en muestras clínicas fue del 38% (IC95%:16%; 63%; I2 = 98,67%; 8 estudios), mientras que en muestras no clínicas, fue del 15% (IC del 95%: 10%; 21%; I2 = 98,51%; 15 estudios). DISCUSIÓN: La prevalencia promedio de FA en los países latinoamericanos incluidos aquí estuvo de acuerdo con la reportada en otras regiones del mundo. Cabe destacar que los estudios se realizaron solamente en seis países, que se encuentran entre los de mayores ingresos de la región y no representan la situación de las poblaciones nativas o de menor poder adquisitivo. Esta brecha en los datos también refleja los efectos de las disparidades económicas en la disponibilidad de datos empíricos en la región.

Psychopathological Profile Associated with Food Addiction Symptoms in Adolescents with Eating Disorders.

Eating disorders are considered one of the psychiatric disorders with a higher risk of death. Food addiction, related to some food addictive-like behaviours, is often in comorbidity with eating disorders and is associated with worse psychopathology. The present study aims to outline the food addiction profile, investigated using the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0), in 122 adolescents (median age: 15.6 years) suffering from eating disorders and to investigate its association with psychopathology. Patients filled out the Youth Self Report, the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children 2, The Children Depression Inventory 2, and the Eating Disorder Inventory 3 (EDI-3). Pearson's chi-square test and multiple correspondence analysis were used to identify profiles. The mean symptom count was 2.8 ± 2.7. The "withdrawal" symptom was the most frequent (51%) and the most associated with clinical scores. The diagnosis of bulimia nervosa and the EDI-3 bulimia scale resulted to be the only variables to be associated with positive YFAS 2.0 symptoms. Conversely, anorexia nervosa, restrictive and atypical, was not associated with YFAS 2.0 symptoms. In conclusion, outlining the food addiction profile of eating disorders may give information about a patient's phenotype and could help to identify specific treatment models.

Co-occurrence of food addiction, obesity, problematic substance use, and parental history of problematic alcohol use.

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigates the rates of co-occurrence among food addiction (FA), problematic substance use (alcohol, cannabis, cigarettes, nicotine vaping), parental history of problematic alcohol use, and obesity as an important step to understanding whether an addictive-like eating phenotype exists. METHOD: A community sample of 357 U.S. adults (49.7% male, 77.6% White, Mage 40.7) completed the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS2.0), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, the Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test, the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, the E-Cigarette Dependence Scale, the Family Tree Questionnaire, and demographic/self-report body mass index questions through Amazon Mechanical Turk. Risk ratios (RRs; unadjusted and adjusted for sociodemographic covariates) were calculated using modified Poisson's regression. RESULTS: Risk of FA was higher in participants with problematic alcohol use (RR = 2.13, 99% CI [1.32, 3.45]), smoking (RR = 1.86, 99% CI [0.82, 3.36]), cannabis use (unadjusted; RR = 2.22, 99% CI [1.17, 4.18]), vaping (RR = 2.71, 99% CI [1.75, 4.21]), and parental history of problematic alcohol use (RR = 2.35, 99% CI [1.46, 3.79]). Risk of FA in participants with obesity was only higher in adjusted models (RR = 1.87, 99% CI [1.06, 3.27]). Obesity was not significantly associated with problematic substance use and parental history of problematic alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS: FA, but not obesity, co-occurred with problematic substance use and a parental history of problematic alcohol use. Results support the conceptualization of FA as an addictive disorder. The inclusion of FA as an addictive disorder in diagnostic frameworks is an important area of future consideration. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Understanding food addiction in Post-Bariatric patients.

This study delves into the construct validity of Food Addiction (FA) as evaluated by the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (mYFAS 2.0) within the context of post-bariatric surgery patients in Brazil. Understanding the prevalence, characteristics, and construct validity of FA among individuals who have undergone bariatric surgery is crucial for enhancing patient care and advancing research in this field. Our findings are based on a convenience-based sample of 100 individuals who had undergone bariatric surgery at Hospital Estadual Mário Covas (HEMC) in Brazil. Using mYFAS 2.0, we found that 51% of the participants met the criteria for FA, with 31% classified as severely affected. In our investigation of construct validity, we confirmed a one-dimensional model, in line with prior research using the YFAS and its modified versions. Item Response Theory (IRT) analyses further confirmed the appropriateness of the mYFAS 2.0 items, with all criteria contributing to the latent structure, most exhibiting discrimination values exceeding 0.5, and the majority having values greater than 2. These results provide substantial support for the construct validity of mYFAS 2.0 in our Brazilian subpopulation of post-bariatric surgery patients. Comparative analyses with previous studies revealed a notably higher prevalence of FA in our population, suggesting potential differences between pre- and post-bariatric surgery groups. This study contributes unique insights into the assessment of FA among post-surgery patients and highlights the importance of early detection and intervention in this population. While this study advances our understanding of FA in post-bariatric surgery patients, certain limitations, such as the relatively small sample size and cross-sectional design, warrant consideration. Nevertheless, our findings hold valuable implications for healthcare providers, researchers, and patients in the field of bariatric surgery and FA management. Future research can build upon these foundations to explore long-term FA effects post-surgery and potential interventions to address this issue effectively.

The Modified Yale Food Addiction Scale May Be Simplified and Diagnostically Improved: The Same Prevalence but Different Severity and Risk Factors of Food Addiction among Female and Male Students.

The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) is the most commonly used scale for measuring food addiction (FA). The previous approach to the YFAS and its subsequent versions assumed dichotomization of items, separating addiction symptoms and clinical significance items, and factorial validity testing on a subset of items. In this paper, we discuss the drawbacks associated with these procedures. In addition, we present a different analytical approach to investigate the validity of the modified YFAS (mYFAS) along with an alternative scoring method that overcomes limitations related to the previous approach. After establishing the structure of the mYFAS, we investigated the potential antecedents and consequences of FA separately for men and women. The sample consisted of 1182 Polish undergraduate students (613 women, 559 men, 10 missing values on gender) with a mean age of 20.33 years (SD = 1.68; range: 18-36). They were asked to complete self-report questionnaires measuring FA, personality traits (Big Five), self-esteem, narcissism, self-efficacy, social anxiety, loneliness, and well-being indicators. Due to the low content, factorial, and clinical validity, the first three items were excluded from the Polish version of the mYFAS. The six-item mYFAS demonstrated measurement invariance, allowing for meaningful comparisons between genders and yielded almost identical prevalence rates for men and women. The hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that, narcissism, and social anxiety predicted FA in both genders, whereas important gender differences in antecedents were also noted. In addition, FA was associated with body mass index (BMI) and most of the well-being indicators, even after controlling for relevant variables. The findings suggest that our modified analytical approach allows researchers to measure FA using a valid, useful, and simple tool.

The effect of ß-caryophyllene on food addiction and its related behaviors: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Food addiction (FA) is a psychological construct that may be involved in the etiology of obesity. The cannabinoid system is involved in the addictive-like food preferences by acting on the dopaminergic pathway of the brain. ß-caryophyllene is a dietary cannabinoid that is a cannabinoid type 2 (CB2) receptor agonist. This study explored the impacts of ß-caryophyllene supplementation on eating behavior, appetite, mental health, anthropometric parameters, body composition, and some hormones related to appetite in women with obesity diagnosed with FA. Women with obesity and FA, diagnosed by the Yale Food Addiction Scale Score (YFAS-S) ≥3, were randomly allocated to receive a ß-caryophyllene softgel (n = 26) (100 mg/daily with meal) or placebo (n = 26) for 8 weeks. Anthropometric measurements, body composition, eating behavior, biochemical markers, dietary intake, appetite, stress, anxiety, and depression were evaluated during the study period. ß-caryophyllene administration significantly reduced YFAS-S compared to the placebo group (changes in FA score: 1.5 ± 0.9 vs. - 0.7 ± 1.4; corrected P = 0.05). Serum levels of orexin-A significantly decreased in the ß-caryophyllene group (p = 0.02); however, no significant difference was observed compared to the placebo group (corrected P = 0.09). ß-caryophyllene supplementation had no significant effect on body composition, anthropometric indices, appetite, eating behavior, dietary intake, physical activity level, mental health, and levels of oxytocin and neuropeptide Y (NPY), compared to the placebo. ß-caryophyllene supplementation may have beneficial effects on improving YFAS-S in women with obesity diagnosed with FA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials identifier: IRCT20200914048712N1.

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.

Effect of time restricted feeding on anthropometric measures, eating behavior, stress, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) levels in women with overweight/obesity and food addiction: a study protocol for a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Food addiction is one of the behavioral factors that play an important role in the pathogenesis of obesity. Much evidence is available suggesting intestinal microbiomes can play a role in eating behavior, body composition, and BDNF levels, and they can be modified by time-restricted feeding (TRF). So, this study will aim to evaluate the effect of TRF on anthropometric measures, eating behavior, stress, and serum BDNF and LBP levels in women with overweight/obesity and food addiction. METHODS: We will carry out a randomized clinical trial for 8 weeks to evaluate the effect of a TRF on anthropometric measures, eating behavior, stress level, serum BDNF and LBP levels in women with overweight/obesity and food addiction. DISCUSSION: Given the effect of BDNF on regulating eating behavior and body weight and the effect of dietary restrictions on BDNF and the gut microbiome, the TRF diet could possibly be a new way to successfully manage weight through modifying BDNF in people with eating disorders, including food addiction. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT20131228015968N7 . Registered on 25 October 2020.