Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026
11:16
A Novel Procedure for Evaluating the Reinforcing Properties of Tastants in Laboratory Rats: Operant Intraoral Self-administration
Published on: February 6, 2014
Compulsive "grazing" and addictive tendencies towards food
Revi Bonder1, Caroline Davis1, Jennifer L Kuk1
1School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Summary
This study reveals that addictive personality traits, reward-driven eating, and compulsive grazing are linked to food addiction. These findings highlight that overeating patterns beyond binge eating contribute to this condition.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Addiction Research
- Nutritional Psychology
Background:
- Palatable foods may trigger addictive processes similar to drugs of abuse.
- Research on food addiction has primarily focused on binge eating behaviors.
- Compulsive grazing is a relevant overeating pattern, particularly for bariatric surgery outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between food addiction and various overeating patterns.
- To examine the role of compulsive grazing in the context of food addiction.
- To understand the predictors of food addiction beyond binge eating.
Main Methods:
- Adults aged 20-50 (n=232) participated in the study.
- Participants completed questionnaires assessing eating behaviors and personality traits.
- Regression analysis used the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) as the outcome measure.
Main Results:
- Addictive personality traits, reward-driven eating, and compulsive grazing significantly predicted YFAS symptom scores.
- Each factor contributed unique variance to the food addiction score.
- Compulsive grazing emerged as a significant correlate of food addiction.
Conclusions:
- Food addiction is associated with patterns of overeating beyond binge eating, such as compulsive grazing.
- Addictive personality traits and reward sensitivity are important factors in food addiction.
- These findings broaden the understanding of compulsive food intake and its relationship to addiction.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Regulation of Food Intake
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
01:05Instinctive Drift
Instinctive drift refers to the tendency of animals to revert to their innate behaviors despite repeated reinforcement. Breland and Breland demonstrated this concept in an experiment with a raccoon. The raccoon was trained to pick up two coins and place them in a container in exchange for food. Initially, the raccoon learned to associate the coins with food, making them a conditioned stimulus or a substitute for food. However, over time, the raccoon became less willing to put the coins into the...
01:28Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by recurrent obsessions, compulsions, or both, which consume significant time and interfere with daily functioning. Obsessions involve persistent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that evoke anxiety. Common examples include irrational fears of contamination or harm. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce the anxiety caused by obsessions. For instance, individuals...
01:28Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of weight gain, an unrelenting pursuit of thinness, and a distorted body image. It often leads to dangerously low body weight relative to an individual's age and height. This disorder is marked by significant physical and psychological consequences, making it one of the most life-threatening psychiatric illnesses.
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
01:30Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by a cyclical pattern of binge-and-purge eating pattern. It generally involves an episode of binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use, or fasting, to prevent weight gain. Despite often maintaining a normal weight, individuals with bulimia are intensely preoccupied with their body image and harbor an overwhelming fear of gaining weight. This can contribute to the...
01:23Binge Eating Disorders
Binge eating disorder is a significant mental health condition characterized by recurrent episodes of excessive food consumption within a short period, accompanied by a perceived loss of control over eating behavior. Unlike occasional overeating, binge eating disorder is marked by distressing emotions such as guilt, shame, and anxiety following binge episodes. The disorder affects individuals across different ages and backgrounds, with profound implications for physical and psychological...