TY - JOUR
T1 - Secondary analysis of YFAS 2.0 symptom counts, impairment/distress, and food addiction severity in adults with overweight/obesity
AU - Koehler, Ann
AU - Aguirre, Trina
AU - Schulte, Erica
AU - Bowman, Rebecca
AU - Struwe, Leeza
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was funded by a Research & Engagement Competitive Award from the Rural Futures Institute, University of Nebraska.
Funding Information:
We thank the Regional West Physicians Clinic for clinic space and referrals and Dr. Gearhardt for use of the YFAS 2.0.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
PY - 2021/10
Y1 - 2021/10
N2 - Purpose: Understanding the complexities of obesity is important for developing effective interventions. Evidence is growing that addictive-like tendencies toward foods may contribute to obesity in some individuals. The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS, YFAS 2.0) was developed to identify individuals with addictive-like eating behaviors. Diagnosing food addiction (FA) requires meeting a symptom threshold plus clinically significant impairment/distress (self-perceived), but the utility of the impairment/distress criteria remains controversial. This secondary analysis compared individuals who did not meet the FA symptom criteria, met the symptom, but not the impairment/distress criteria, and met both criteria. Methods: This secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled pilot study involving 83 adults with overweight/obesity used descriptive statistics and Univariate ANOVAS to compare YFAS 2.0 and Weight and Lifestyle Inventory responses among the groups. Results: Twenty-eight individuals did not meet the FA symptom criteria, 20 met the symptom, but not the impairment/distress criteria, and 35 met both criteria. Of the latter, 80.0% had severe, 8.6% had moderate, and 11.4% had mild FA. Age at onset of overweight was lower with severe than with mild FA (p = 0.023). Conclusions: The YFAS 2.0 identified a distinct group with severe FA and a group who met the FA symptom threshold, but not the impairment/distress criteria. Few participants perceived impairment/distress unless they endorsed ≥ 6 symptoms. Adding clinical interviews may aid in assessing impairment/distress and addictive-like eating behaviors, particularly in those meeting the FA symptom, but not the impairment/distress criteria. Better characterization of these groups may help targeting obesity interventions. Trial registration number: NCT03431831, 1/30/2018. Level of evidence: Level III, case-control analytic study.
AB - Purpose: Understanding the complexities of obesity is important for developing effective interventions. Evidence is growing that addictive-like tendencies toward foods may contribute to obesity in some individuals. The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS, YFAS 2.0) was developed to identify individuals with addictive-like eating behaviors. Diagnosing food addiction (FA) requires meeting a symptom threshold plus clinically significant impairment/distress (self-perceived), but the utility of the impairment/distress criteria remains controversial. This secondary analysis compared individuals who did not meet the FA symptom criteria, met the symptom, but not the impairment/distress criteria, and met both criteria. Methods: This secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled pilot study involving 83 adults with overweight/obesity used descriptive statistics and Univariate ANOVAS to compare YFAS 2.0 and Weight and Lifestyle Inventory responses among the groups. Results: Twenty-eight individuals did not meet the FA symptom criteria, 20 met the symptom, but not the impairment/distress criteria, and 35 met both criteria. Of the latter, 80.0% had severe, 8.6% had moderate, and 11.4% had mild FA. Age at onset of overweight was lower with severe than with mild FA (p = 0.023). Conclusions: The YFAS 2.0 identified a distinct group with severe FA and a group who met the FA symptom threshold, but not the impairment/distress criteria. Few participants perceived impairment/distress unless they endorsed ≥ 6 symptoms. Adding clinical interviews may aid in assessing impairment/distress and addictive-like eating behaviors, particularly in those meeting the FA symptom, but not the impairment/distress criteria. Better characterization of these groups may help targeting obesity interventions. Trial registration number: NCT03431831, 1/30/2018. Level of evidence: Level III, case-control analytic study.
KW - Eating behavior
KW - Food addiction
KW - Obesity
KW - Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0
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U2 - 10.1007/s40519-020-01077-1
DO - 10.1007/s40519-020-01077-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 33389719
AN - SCOPUS:85098538356
SN - 1124-4909
VL - 26
SP - 2393
EP - 2399
JO - Eating and Weight Disorders
JF - Eating and Weight Disorders
IS - 7
ER -