Food addiction and associations with mental health symptoms: a systematic review with meta-analysis

The objective of this 2018 systematic review was to understand the relationship between food addiction [as measured by the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS)] with mental health symptoms, by searching the literature for evidence. Burrows and the team (2018) searched for studies that reported YFAS diagnosis or symptom score, a mental health outcome, as well as an association between these 2. After conducting a meta-analysis on the 51 studies that met the inclusion criteria, the mean prevalence of food addiction diagnosis was determined to be 16.2%, with an average of 3.3 food addiction symptoms reported. The mean number of food addiction symptoms among individuals seeking weight loss treatment was 3.01, and even greater in groups with disordered eating (5.2). Food addiction was significantly and positively associated with depression, anxiety, and binge eating. The relationship may be complex but this systematic review highlighted the significant, positive association between food addiction with mental health symptoms. [NPID: sugar, processed food, food addiction, addiction, weight loss, disordered eating, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, binge eating]

Year: 2018

Reference: Burrows, T., Kay-Lambkin, F., Pursey, K., Skinner, J., & Dayas, C. (2018). Food addiction and associations with mental health symptoms: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association, 31(4), 544–572. https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12532

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