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Attributes of the food addiction phenotype within overweight and obesity
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Attributes of the food addiction phenotype within overweight and obesity

Erica M. Schulte and Ashley N. Gearhardt
Eating and weight disorders, v 26(6), pp 2043-2049
01 Aug 2021
PMID: 33128719

Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine Psychiatry Science & Technology
Purpose Previous studies have demonstrated overlapping behavioral features between substance-use disorders and food addiction, the latter of which is particularly prevalent among individuals with overweight or obesity. However, the unique attributes of food addiction as a possible phenotype within overweight and obesity are not fully understood. Methods This cross-sectional study recruited participants (n = 46) with overweight or obesity, nearly half (n = 20) of whom met the criteria for food addiction based on the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) and examined responses to self-report questionnaires that indexed behavioral characteristics relevant to addictive disorders. Results Individuals with food addiction exhibited significantly higher scores on the Palatable Eating Motives Scale overall score (p .001) and subscales for coping (p .001) and enhancement (p .001) of emotions, Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire Emotional Eating subscale (p .001), UPPS-P Impulsivity Scale negative urgency (p .001) and lack of perseverance (p = .01) subscales, and the Food Craving Inventory overall score (p = .02) and subscales of cravings for sweets (p .01) and fast food fats (p = .02). Conclusion Food addiction appears to represent a distinct phenotype within overweight and obesity, marked by greater emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, and cravings, which have been observed in prior studies examining features of individuals with addictive disorders.

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#3 Good Health and Well-Being
#5 Gender Equality

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Psychiatry
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