title: Food addiction in adults seeking weight loss treatment. Implications for psychosocial health and weight loss.
abstract: The present study examined food addiction symptomology and its relationship to eating pathology and psychological distress among adults seeking weight loss treatment. A primary interest was an examination of the relationship between food addiction symptoms and short-term weight loss. Adults beginning a behavioral weight loss program (N=57) were given the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) as well as measures of psychological distress, disordered eating, weight bias, and weight-focused attitudes. Weight loss was measured after 7 weeks. Severity of food addiction was related to increased depression, emotional eating, binge eating, anti-fat attitudes, internalized weight bias, body shame, and low eating self-efficacy, but not body satisfaction. Increased food addiction symptomology was also related to less weight lost at 7 weeks. Findings suggest that individuals attempting to lose weight while combating symptoms of food addiction may be especially prone to eating-related pathologies, internalized weight bias, and body shame. Importantly, findings provide evidence that food addiction may undermine efforts to lose weight. The pathology associated with addiction (e.g., tolerance, withdrawal) could make the adoption of more healthful eating habits especially difficult.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, United States. Electronic address: jburme@bgsu.edu.
authors.forename: Jacob M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Burmeister
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, United States.
authors.forename: Nova
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hinman
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, United States.
authors.forename: Afton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koball
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, United States.
authors.forename: Debra A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, United States.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Carels
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002032:Bulimia / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D004435:Eating / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015431:Weight Loss; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs; D044465:White People