[Development of a questionnaire to evaluate sugar abuse and dependence]

This study describes the development of a questionnaire to evaluate the potential abuse of (and dependence on) non-milk extrinsic sugar (NMES). Recent studies have shown that excessive NMES consumption can cause alterations in the central nervous system due to the influence of these substances in the neurochemical reward system. The questionnaire was originally developed from a summary of reports from four focus groups utilizing the "L" module of the MINI-Plus questionnaire. Addiction specialists subsequently evaluated the draft of the questionnaire and altered the original instrument's content, substituting terms in order to better fit the substance used in this study. However, the original structure of 20 questions on abuse and dependence was maintained. It is hoped that an instrument to evaluate NMES abuse and dependence will help health professionals prevent and treat problems related to over-consumption of sugars. However, the diagnosis of sugar abuse and dependence and the instrument's potential psychometric properties require further study by the scientific community.