Differential association between food craving, food addiction and eating-related characteristics in persons at risk for eating disorders

Background: Difficulties in emotion regulation and craving regulation have been linked to eating symptomatology in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), contributing to the maintenance of their eating disorder. Methods: To investigate clinical and electrophysiological correlates of these processes, 20 patients with AN and 20 healthy controls (HC) completed a computerized task during EEG recording, where they were instructed to down-regulate negative emotions or food craving. Participants also completed self-report measures of emotional regulation and food addiction. The P300 and Late Positive Potential (LPP) ERPs were analysed. Results: LPP amplitudes were significantly smaller during down-regulation of food craving among both groups. Independent of task condition, individuals with AN showed smaller P300 amplitudes compared to HC. Among HC, the self-reported use of re-appraisal strategies positively correlated with LPP amplitudes during emotional regulation task, while suppressive strategies negatively correlated with LPP amplitudes. The AN group, in comparison to the HC group, exhibited greater food addiction, greater use of maladaptive strategies, and emotional dysregulation. Conclusions: Despite the enhanced self-reported psychopathology among AN, both groups indicated neurophysiological evidence of food craving regulation as evidenced by blunted LPP amplitudes in the relevant task condition. Further research is required to delineate the mechanisms associated with reduced overall P300 amplitudes among individuals with AN.

Download Full-text

Current Status of Evidence for a New Diagnosis: Food Addiction-A Literature Review

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.824936 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Octavian Vasiliu

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorders ◽

Emotion Dysregulation ◽

Food Addiction ◽

Well Being ◽

Current Status ◽

Neural Pathways ◽

Addictive Behaviors ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

High Sodium ◽

Addiction Severity

Food addiction is considered an important link for a better understanding of psychiatric and medical problems triggered by dysfunctions of eating behaviors, e. g., obesity, metabolic syndrome, binge eating disorder, or bulimia nervosa. At behavioral level, food addiction has high degrees of similarity with other eating disorders, a phenomenon that creates difficulties in finding specific diagnostic criteria. Food addiction has been also described as “eating addiction” or “eating dependence” by several researchers, who placed the emphasis on the behavior and not on the food itself. High-sodium foods, artificially flavored-foods, rich carbohydrate- and saturated fats-containing foods are triggers for the activation of the same neural pathways, therefore they act similarly to any drug of abuse. Food addiction is considered a disorder based on functional negative consequences, associated distress and potential risks to both psychological well-being and physical health. A clinical scale was validated for the quantification of the eating addiction severity, namely the Yale Food Addiction Severity Scale (YFAS), constructed to match DSM IV criteria for substance dependence. Using this instrument, a high prevalence of food addiction was found in the general population, up to 20% according to a meta-analytic research. The pathogenesis of this entity is still uncertain, but reward dysfunction, impulsivity and emotion dysregulation have been considered basic mechanisms that trigger both eating dysfunctions and addictive behaviors. Genetic factors may be involved in this dependence, as modulators of higher carbohydrate and saturate fat craving. Regarding the existence of potential therapeutic solutions, lorcaserin, antiepileptic drugs, opioid antagonists, antiaddictive agents are recommended for obesity and eating disorders, and they may be intuitively used in food addiction, but clinical trials are necessary to confirm their efficacy. In conclusion, a better understanding of food addiction's clinical profile and pathogenesis may help clinicians in finding prevention- and therapeutic-focused interventions in the near future.

Download Full-text

Sex differences in eating related behaviors and psychopathology among adolescent military dependents at risk for adult obesity and eating disorders

Eating Behaviors ◽

10.1016/j.eatbeh.2019.04.001 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 33 ◽

pp. 73-77 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Mary Quattlebaum ◽

Natasha L. Burke ◽

M.K. Higgins Neyland ◽

William Leu ◽

Natasha A. Schvey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Eating Disorders ◽

Sex Differences ◽

Adult Obesity ◽

Military Dependents

Download Full-text

Do Individuals at Risk for Eating Disorders Exhibit Negative Priming Deficits?

The Journal of General Psychology ◽

10.1080/00221309709595567 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 124 (4) ◽

pp. 381-390 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

F. Richard Ferraro ◽

Stephen Wonderlich ◽

Krista Johnson

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Eating Disorders ◽

Negative Priming

Download Full-text

The Diagnostic Accuracy of Screening Tools to Detect Eating Disorders in Female Athletes

Journal of Sport Rehabilitation ◽

10.1123/jsr.2014-0337 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 395-398 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Alyssa J. Wagner ◽

Casey D. Erickson ◽

Dayna K. Tierney ◽

Megan N. Houston ◽

Cailee E. Welch Bacon

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Eating Disorders ◽

Eating Disorder ◽

Sensitivity And Specificity ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Screening Tools ◽

Clinical Scenario ◽

Clinical Question ◽

Bottom Line ◽

Questionnaire Version

Clinical Scenario:Eating disorders in female athletes are a commonly underdiagnosed condition. Better screening tools for eating disorders in athletic females could help increase diagnosis and help athletes get the treatment they need.Focused Clinical Question:Should screening tools be used to detect eating disorders in female athletes?Summary of Key Findings:The literature was searched for studies that included information regarding the sensitivity and specificity of screening tools for eating disorders in female athletes. The search returned 5 possible articles related to the clinical question; 3 studies met the inclusion criteria (2 cross-sectional studies, 1 cohort study) and were included. All 3 studies reported sensitivity and specificity for the Athletic Milieu Direct Questionnaire version 2, the Brief Eating Disorder in Athletes Questionnaire version 2, and the Physiologic Screening Test to Detect Eating Disorders Among Female Athletes. All 3 studies found that the respective screening tool was able to accurately identify female athletes with eating disorders; however, the screening tools varied in sensitivity and specificity values.Clinical Bottom Line:There is strong evidence to support the use of screening tools to detect eating disorders in female athletes. Screening tools with higher sensitivity and specificity have demonstrated a successful outcome of determining athletes with eating disorders or at risk for developing an eating disorder.Strength of Recommendation:There is grade A evidence available to demonstrate that screening tools accurately detect female athletes at risk for eating disorders.

Download Full-text

The Impact of Retrospective Childhood Maltreatment on Eating Disorders as Mediated by Food Addiction: A Cross-Sectional Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12102969 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 2969 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rami Bou Khalil ◽

Ghassan Sleilaty ◽

Sami Richa ◽

Maude Seneque ◽

Sylvain Iceta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorders ◽

Eating Disorder ◽

Childhood Maltreatment ◽

Emotional Abuse ◽

Food Addiction ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Yale Food Addiction Scale ◽

Physical Neglect ◽

The Impact

Background: The current study aimed to test whether food addiction (FA) might mediate the relationship between the presence of a history of childhood maltreatment and eating disorder (ED) symptom severity. Methods: Participants were 231 patients with ED presenting between May 2017 and January 2020 to a daycare treatment facility for assessment and management with mainly the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2), the Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0). Results: Participants had a median age of 24 (interquartile range (IQR) 20–33) years and manifested anorexia nervosa (61.47%), bulimia nervosa (16.88%), binge-eating disorders (9.09%), and other types of ED (12.55%). They were grouped into those likely presenting FA (N = 154) and those without FA (N = 77). The group with FA reported higher scores on all five CTQ subscales, as well as the total score of the EDI-2 (p < 0.001). Using mediation analysis; significant indirect pathways between all CTQ subscales and the EDI-2 total score emerged via FA, with the largest indirect effect emerging for physical neglect (standardized effect = 0.208; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.127–0.29) followed by emotional abuse (standardized effect = 0.183; 95% CI 0.109–0.262). Conclusion: These results are compatible with a model in which certain types of childhood maltreatment, especially physical neglect, may induce, maintain, and/or exacerbate ED symptoms via FA which may guide future treatments.

Download Full-text

Prevalence of Risk of Eating Disorders and its Association with Obesity and Fitness

International Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1055/a-1152-5064 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (10) ◽

pp. 669-676

Author(s):

Isabel María Parreño-Madrigal ◽

Ana Díez-Fernández ◽

Vicente Martínez-Vizcaíno ◽

María Eugenia Visier-Alfonso ◽

Miriam Garrido-Miguel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

At Risk ◽

Eating Disorders ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽

Fat Mass ◽

Future Health ◽

Muscular Fitness ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Mean Values

AbstractThe university stage is a critical developmental period for young adults, where lifestyles can determine future health. A cross-sectional study including 481 college students was conducted, with the following objectives: 1) to examine the prevalence of risk of developing eating disorders in college students, 2) to assess differences in obesity and physical fitness in those with and without risk of eating disorders, and 3) to determine whether cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness or fat mass were associated with the risk of eating disorders. We measured fat mass percentage (by densitometry), risk of feeding or eating disorders (by SCOFF questionnaire), cardiorespiratory fitness levels and a muscular fitness index. The prevalence of risk of eating disorders in women (32.4%) was higher than in men (17.4%) (p<0.001). In both sexes, higher obesity indicator mean values were observed among those who were at risk of eating disorders. Men participants without risk had higher cardiorespiratory fitness means than their at-risk peers [39.4 (8.3) vs. 32.4 (5.5), p<0.001)], and women showed differences only in the dynamometry/weight variable. In college students, it is necessary to promote healthy habits, including good levels of physical fitness, and to prevent excess body fat to effectively prevent eating disorders.

Download Full-text