title: An examination of food addiction in a racially diverse sample of obese patients with binge eating disorder in primary care settings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The concept of food addiction in obesity and binge eating disorder (BED) continues to be a hotly debated topic yet the empirical evidence on the relationship between addictive-like eating and clinically relevant eating disorders is limited. The current study examined the association of food addiction as assessed by the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) with measures of disordered eating, dieting/weight history, and related psychopathology in a racially diverse sample of obese patients with binge eating disorder (BED).
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive series of 96 obese patients with BED who were seeking treatment for obesity and binge eating in primary care were given structured interviews to assess psychiatric disorders and eating disorder psychopathology and a battery of self-report measures including the YFAS to assess food addiction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Classification of food addiction was met by 41.5% (n=39) of BED patients. Patients classified as meeting YFAS food addiction criteria had significantly higher levels of negative affect, emotion dysregulation, and eating disorder psychopathology, and lower self-esteem. Higher scores on the YFAS were related to an earlier age of first being overweight and dieting onset. YFAS scores were also significant predictors of binge eating frequency above and beyond other measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to patients not classified as having food addiction, the subset of 41.5% of BED patients who met the YFAS food addiction cut-off appears to have a more severe presentation of BED and more associated pathology.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. Agearhar@umich.edu
authors: Ashley N
authors: AN
authors: Gearhardt
authors: Marney A
authors: MA
authors: White
authors: Robin M
authors: RM
authors: Masheb
authors: Carlos M
authors: CM
authors: Grilo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D004644:Emotions; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People