How does food addiction influence dietary intake profile?

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Psychiatry
• Public Health

Background:

• Food addiction is an emerging concern impacting eating patterns and health.
• Understanding its association with obesity and abnormal eating behaviors is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in eating patterns, abnormal eating behaviors, obesity, and food addiction symptoms based on the presence of food addiction.
• To analyze the relationship between food addiction and anthropometric measurements, dietary intake, and eating attitudes.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional survey of 851 healthy adults (19-65 years) in Ankara, Turkey.
• Data collected via face-to-face interviews, including demographic information, 24-hour dietary recalls, Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), and anthropometric measurements.
• Participants were categorized based on the presence or absence of food addiction criteria.

Main Results:

• 11.4% of participants met the criteria for food addiction (13.0% female, 9.2% male).
• Food-addicted individuals had significantly higher Body Mass Index (BMI), with 35.1% being obese compared to 13.1% in non-addicted individuals (p<0.05).
• Food-addicted subjects exhibited higher rates of abnormal eating attitudes (40.2% total) and significantly higher daily energy, protein, and fat intake (especially females).

Conclusions:

• Food addiction is associated with increased obesity and abnormal eating behaviors.
• Higher caloric and macronutrient intake, particularly from high-fat and high-sugar foods, is characteristic of food addiction.
• Addressing food addiction is essential for managing obesity and related eating disorders.