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Abstract: Aims: Diagnostic criteria for food addiction (FA) were proposed with the development of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) by applying the seven DSM-IV-TR criteria of substance dependence. The YFAS was revised (YFAS 2.0) according to the 11 DSM-5-criteria for substance use disorders. This article addresses the prevalence of FA in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED) and/or obesity and the application of experimental paradigms from addiction research to eating and weight disorders. Methods: Focused narrative review. Results: YFAS 2.0-FA diagnoses are particularly frequent in individuals with BN, BED and/or obesity. Several experimental paradigms known from addiction research have been adapted for eating and weight disorders, and indicate parallels with addictive disorders. However, most studies did not assess FA. Conclusions: A subgroup of patients with BN, BED and/or obesity shows addiction-like eating based on YFAS 2.0 scores. Experimental studies suggest that the same mechanisms that are relevant to the development and maintenance of substance use disorders or behavioral addictions may be important. It remains unclear whether those patients suffer from FA. Future studies should systematically assess FA symptoms and further investigate the clinical utility of the FA concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of impulsivity and the mediating role of disinhibited eating behaviour (DEB) on weight and weight trajectories in a large data set including obese non-treatment seeking individuals (obese control, n = 138) and obese individuals who were either receiving a conventional treatment program ( n = 227) or bariatric surgery ( n = 123). Data was assessed one, 4 and 9 years after baseline including self-reports for impulsivity and DEB. Results suggest a significant association between impulsivity and body mass index, which is partially mediated by DEB. Longitudinally, the influence of impulsivity on the course of weight after 9 years was fully mediated by DEB in obese control but not in the treatment groups. The results indicate an interplay between impulsivity and DEB with respect to obesity. Further research is needed to clarify how the mediation works and when it exerts its effect, in order to identify those that might profit from a specific (impulsivity-reducing) training. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Exercise dependence (EXD) is considered a behavioral addiction that is often associated with eating disorders. To date, only few studies examined the potential overlap between EXD and other addictive behaviors. Therefore, the present study aimed at investigating the relationship of EXD with pathological buying, pathological video gaming (offline and online), hypersexual behavior, and alcohol use disorder in a sample of clients of fitness centers. Methods: The following questionnaires were answered by 128 individuals (age M = 26.5, SD = 6.7 years; 71.7% men, 74.2% university students): Exercise Dependence Scale, Eating Disorder Examination- Questionnaire, Compulsive Buying Scale, Pathological Computer-Gaming Scale, Hypersexual Behavior Inventory, and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Results: 7.8% of the sample were at-risk for EXD, 10.9% reported eating disorder pathology, 2.3% pathological buying, 3.1% hypersexual behavior, and none of the participants suffered from pathological video gaming. The criteria for severe alcohol disorder pathology (AUDIT ≥ 16) were fulfilled by 10.2%. With regard to continuous symptom scores, EXD symptoms were positively correlated with both eating disorder pathology and pathological buying but not with pathological video gaming, hypersexuality or alcohol use disorder. It is noteworthy that more symptoms of pathological buying corresponded with more symptoms of hypersexual behavior. The correlation pattern did not differ by gender. Discussion: The co-occurrence of EXD, pathological buying and hypersexual behavior on a subclinical level or in the early stage of the disorders should be taken into account when assessing and treating patients. More research is warranted in order to investigate possible interactions between these conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present pilot study investigated the relationship between temperament and the risk for exercise dependence (EXD). Sampling and Methods: A total of 32 female patients with eating disorders (potentially at risk for secondary EXD) and 29 female elite athletes without eating disturbances (potentially at risk for primary EXD) answered the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), the Exercise Dependence Scale-German version (EDS-G), the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System (BIS/BAS) scales, and the effortful control subscale of the Adult Temperament Questionnaire (ATQ-EC). Results: There were significant positive correlations of the EDS-G with the BIS in women with an eating disorder and with the BAS in elite athletes. No significant association was found between the EDS-G and effortful control. Conclusions: The results indicate that the risk for EXD is associated with avoidance tendencies in women with eating disorders and with approach tendencies in elite athletes. Implications for secondary and primary EXD are discussed. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aimed to investigate temperament subtypes in obese patients. Methods Ninety-three bariatric surgery candidates and 63 obese inpatients from a psychotherapy unit answered the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System Scale (BIS/BAS), the Effortful Control subscale of the Adult Temperament Questionnaire-Short Form (ATQ-EC), and questionnaires for eating disorder, depressive and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and completed neurocognitive testing for executive functions. Binge eating disorder and impulse control disorders were diagnosed using interviews. Results A latent profile analysis using BIS/BAS and ATQ-EC scores revealed a 'resilient/high functioning' cluster ( n = 88) showing high ATQ-EC and low BIS/BAS scores and an 'emotionally dysregulated/undercontrolled' cluster ( n = 68) with low ATQ-EC and high BIS/BAS scores. Patients from the 'emotionally dysregulated/undercontrolled' cluster showed more eating disorder, depressive and ADHD symptoms, and poorer performance in the labyrinth task. Conclusion The findings support the assumptions regarding the heterogeneity of obesity and the association between temperament subtypes and psychopathology. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, night eating syndrome (NES) was included into the DSM-5 as an example of “Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders.” The study provides insight into the population prevalence of NES using a large representative German population sample (n = 2,460) with a wide age range (14–85 years). The prevalence of NES was 1.1% using a cut-off on the Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ) of 25. A positive screening for NES was positively associated with depression and anxiety, eating disorder psychopathology, and body weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association among compulsive buying (CB), compulsive internet use (CIU) and reactive/regulative temperament in a sample of 60 female patients with eating disorders. All patients were assessed by means of the Compulsive Buying Scale, the CIU scale, the Eating Disorder Inventory-2, the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System scales, the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology and the effortful control scale of the Adult Temperament Questionnaire. The results showed a positive association between CB and CIU, both categorized as impulse control disorders, not otherwise specified. Both CB and CIU showed significantly positive correlations with emotional lability, excitement seeking and lack of effortful control (more specifically lack of inhibitory and lack of activation control). The implication of these findings for the treatment of both disorders will be discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aims: In individuals prior to bariatric surgery, the prevalence rates of food addiction (FA), alcohol-related disorder, anxiety and depressive disorders were estimated. Besides this, it was investigated whether food addiction (FA) symptoms are associated with alcohol use, weight-related quality of life, eating disorder, anxiety, and depression symptoms in individuals prior to bariatric surgery. It was further explored whether there are differences between individuals with and without FA regarding these variables. Methods: Validated questionnaires capturing FA, alcohol use, weight-related quality of life, eating disorder, anxiety, and depression symptoms were filled out by 419 subjects with obesity. Differences in psychopathological variables between patients with and without FA were investigated by means of non-parametric methods. Results: The current sample's estimated prevalence rates of risky alcohol use (11 %) and alcohol-related disorder (5 %) were lower than in population-based samples, but the estimated prevalence rates of food addiction (38 %), eating disorders (79 %), depression (30 %), and anxiety disorders (24 %) were higher. There were no differences between individuals with/without FA regarding prevalence rates of past or current risky alcohol use or alcohol-related disorder. FA symptoms were not correlated with alcohol use and weight-related quality of life. On the contrary, positive correlations of FA symptoms with global eating disorder pathology, depression and anxiety symptomatology were found. Conclusion: The results confirm previous findings of a lack of association of FA with alcohol use in patients prior to bariatric surgery. Longitudinal studies with large samples and long-term follow-up should investigate a possible postoperative symptom shift from FA to substance use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Pathological buying (PB) is a behavioral addiction that presents comorbidity with several psychiatric disorders. Despite the increase in the prevalence estimates of PB, relatively few PB instruments have been developed. Our aim was to assess the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the pathological buying screener (PBS) and to explore the associations between PB, psychopathology, and personality traits. Methods: A total of 511 participants, including gambling disorder (GD) and eating disorder (ED) patients diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria, as well as healthy controls (HCs), took part in the study. Results: Higher PB prevalence was obtained in ED patients than in the other two study groups (ED 12.5% vs. 1.3% HC and 2.7% GD). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) verified the 13-item structure of the PBS, and indexes of convergent and discriminant capacity were estimated. CFA confirmed the structure in two factors (excessive buying behavior and loss of control) with excellent internal consistency (α = .92 and .86, respectively). Good convergent capacity was obtained with external psychopathology and personality measures (positive correlations with novelty seeking and negative associations with self-directedness and harm avoidance were found). Good discriminative capacity to differentiate between the study groups was obtained. Discussion and conclusions: This study provides support for the reliability and validity of the Spanish adaptation of the PBS. Female sex, higher impulsivity, and higher psychopathology were associated with PB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research suggests that obese individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) show deficits in response inhibition, but findings are not consistent, especially when food-associated stimuli are presented. The aim of the present study was to assess the role of moderating factors by taking into account restrained eating and mood. Seventeen obese women with BED, 20 obese women without BED and 20 normal-weight controls (NW) were recruited. A go/no-go task with food-associated and control stimuli and questionnaires were administered. Obese BED showed less impairment of response inhibition to food-associated than to control stimuli, while this pattern was reversed in NW; no differences were observed for obese participants. Interestingly, group differences were moderated by the interaction of restrained eating and mood, and obese BED made the most commission errors to food-associated stimuli when they were restrained eaters and in a very positive mood at the time of testing. Our results might explain why some studies did not observe deficits in response inhibition to food-associated cues in BED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]