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Mindful eating may help explain the association between psychological difficulties and food addiction in adolescents with obesity
This research examines the role of food addiction (FA) as a behavioral contributor to obesity in adolescents, particularly those facing psychological challenges. A sample of 48 adolescents (ages 11–18; 54.2% female) from a pediatric outpatient clinic in Türkiye participated in the study. The Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children (YFAS-C) was used to assess FA symptoms, mindful eating was evaluated using the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ), and psychological difficulties were measured via parent reports on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
The findings revealed a positive correlation between the SDQ total difficulties score and YFAS-C symptom scores (r = .45, p = .001), alongside a negative correlation with MEQ scores (r = –.38, p = .01). Additionally, MEQ scores exhibited a strong negative correlation with YFAS-C scores (r = –.64, p < .001). A statistical mediation analysis confirmed that mindful eating acted as a mediator in the relationship between psychological difficulties and FA, with psychological difficulties being associated with FA both directly and indirectly through mindful eating (B = 0.058, 95% CI [.014, .109]).
These results suggest that mindful eating may play a significant role in the relationship between psychological difficulties and FA symptoms. However, due to the cross-sectional nature of the data, causal mediation cannot be established. The potential of mindful eating as a target for future intervention research is emphasized, with a call for longitudinal and experimental studies to clarify causal pathways and temporal ordering. [NPID: Mindful eating, food addiction, Yale Food Addiction Scale, Mindful Eating Questionnaire]
Year: 2026
