title: Addictive-Like Eating, Body Mass Index, and Psychological Correlates in a Community Sample of Preadolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The two main objectives were to identify addictive-like eating in youth and determine the relationship between addictive-like eating, hedonic hunger, and psychological variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional design was used. Each subject's objective heights and weights were measured. Subjects completed questionnaires about anxiety, depression, appetitive responsiveness, addictive-like eating, other forms of disordered eating, and exercise patterns.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-five children, ages 9 to 14 years, participated in the study. The mean body mass index percentile for age and gender was 69%. Thirty-eight percent of the children were either overweight or obese. Sixteen percent reported three or more addictive-like eating behaviors, and 4% met the criteria for "food addiction." Addictive-like eating was significantly correlated with appetitive responsiveness but not body mass index, anxiety, depression, or other measures of disordered eating.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Addictive-like eating occurs in children as young as 9 years and appears to be a different type of disordered eating. The hedonic value and proximity of food is a contributor to addictive-like eating behaviors.
authors.forename: Jennifer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Laurent
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sibold
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Obesity; appetitive responsiveness; food addiction; preadolescent