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Systematic reviews investigating food addiction, via the use of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) tool, demonstrate an increase in the reporting of addictive eating and associations with increased consumption of energy-rich, nutrient-poor food by the general population and those with food addiction. A positive relationship has been observed between addictive eating behaviors and overweight or obesity. However, this is highly variable (range 5.4%-56.8%) depending on the population group, with higher prevalence more common among females and populations with eating disorders, particularly binge eating disorder. Food addiction, as defined by self-report survey tools, is approximately 20%. The majority of existing research in the area is focused on cross-sectional surveys of young adults, mainly female. These include a strong attachment to the substance or behavior, craving, uncontrolled emotions, self-blame, and internal conflict.
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Treatment of addiction often requires behavior change specialists, given addictions are a complex process often comprising a number of components.
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With obesity being a primary modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), support for addictive eating behaviors could assist in the modification of weight status and benefit those at risk. On the basis of the literature to date and for the purpose of this review, food addiction is defined as the compulsive consumption of highly palatable foods. However, the lay public show a strong belief in food addiction as one of the contributing causes to overweight and obesity. There is current debate around whether food addiction is closely aligned to substance addiction (alcohol and drug addiction), behavioral addiction (gambling addiction), or neither, with some arguing that the more appropriate nomenclature being eating addiction as opposed to food addiction. Food addiction is a growing area with increasing evidence suggesting that some vulnerable individuals, with issues related to overeating, report a response to food that is likened to other addictions, such as alcohol and gambling-for example continued consumption despite negative consequences or craving.