Characteristics of individuals seeking addictive eating treatment

There is increasing interest in food addiction and its potential treatment. However, little is known about the characteristics of people seeking addictive eating treatment, which is important to develop appropriate treatment and referral pathways. The aim was to describe the characteristics of individuals seeking addictive eating treatment and examine differences between eligible participants who did and did not engage in treatment.

Participants interested in an addictive eating treatment were recruited to an online screening survey. The 55-item survey included demographic questions, body satisfaction; weight-loss attempts; the modified Yale Food Addiction Survey (mYFAS); the Binge Eating Scale and mental health outcomes (DASS-21).

Individuals seeking addictive eating treatment (n = 309) were predominantly female (61%), from the obese BMI category (67%) and had accessed a range of services for weight loss (97%). Using multiple logistic regression, participants with higher mYFAS scores were more likely to engage in treatment (AOR 1.68; 95% CI 1.12-2.52), while participants with higher DASS total scores were less likely to engage in treatment (AOR 0.97; 95% CI 0.95-0.99).

This study indicates considerable interest from consumers in seeking addictive eating treatment. Individuals who did not engage in treatment displayed higher mental health comorbidity, suggesting that higher mental health symptomatology may be a barrier to treatment. Future qualitative research is needed to provide an in-depth understanding of the reasons for seeking and engaging in addictive eating treatment, as well as to identify the optimal treatments and referral pathways.

Level IV.