Prevalence of 'Food Addiction' As Measured with the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 in a Representative German Sample and Its Association with Sex, Age and Weight Categories

Overview

Journal Obes Facts

Publisher Karger

Specialty Endocrinology

Date 2017 Feb 13

PMID 28190017

Citations 53

Authors

Carolin Hauck

Annegret Weiss

Erica Marla Schulte

Adrian Meule

Thomas Ellrott

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background/aims: To assess the prevalence and correlates of addictive-like eating behavior in Germany.

Methods: The German version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) 2.0 was used to investigate, for the first time, the prevalence of 'food addiction' in a representative sample aged 18-65 years (N = 1,034).

Results: The prevalence of 'food addiction' measured by the YFAS 2.0 was 7.9%. Individuals meeting criteria for 'food addiction' had higher BMI and were younger than individuals not meeting the threshold. Underweight (15.0%) and obese (17.2%) individuals exhibited the highest prevalence rate of 'food addiction'. Addictive-like eating was not associated with sex, education level, or place of residence.

Conclusion: YFAS 2.0 'food addiction' was met by nearly 8% of the population. There is a non-linear relationship between addictive-like eating and BMI, with the highest prevalence among underweight and obese persons. These findings suggest that 'food addiction' may be a contributor to overeating but may also reflect a distinct phenotype of problematic eating behavior not synonymous with obesity. Further, the elevated prevalence of YFAS 2.0 'food addiction' among underweight individuals may reflect an overlap with eating disorders and warrants attention in future research.

Citing Articles

Relationship Between Food Addiction, Night Eating Syndrome and Depression Level in University Students and Affecting Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Türkiye.

Erem S, Eren D Food Sci Nutr. 2025; 13(2):e4654.

PMID: 39898119 PMC: 11782916. DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.4654.

Psychological differences in food addiction and binge eating in a general Polish population.

Rozycka J, Nowacki A, Lukowska M, Sokolowska M, Zielinska J, Duszkiewicz R Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):3919.

PMID: 39890850 PMC: 11785786. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-87057-w.

Cannabinoid type-1 receptors in CaMKII neurons drive impulsivity in pathological eating behavior.

Martin-Garcia E, Domingo-Rodriguez L, Lutz B, Maldonado R, Ruiz de Azua I Mol Metab. 2025; 92:102096.

PMID: 39788291 PMC: 11787564. DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2025.102096.

Patterns of Addiction in Chronic Skin Diseases: A Comparative Analysis of Addictions and Influencing Factors in Atopic Dermatitis and Psoriasis.

Mazilu R, Ziehfreund S, Biedermann T, Zink A Acta Derm Venereol. 2025; 105():adv41350.

PMID: 39750041 PMC: 11711691. DOI: 10.2340/actadv.v105.41350.

Association of Food Addiction With Obesity in Young Adults Belonging to Urban and Rural Populations.

Sukesh S, Vishnuvardhan G, Vidhyavathi M Cureus. 2024; 16(11):e74370.

PMID: 39723269 PMC: 11668923. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.74370.

References

French S, Jeffery R, Sherwood N, Neumark-Sztainer D . Prevalence and correlates of binge eating in a nonclinical sample of women enrolled in a weight gain prevention program. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1999; 23(6):576-85. DOI: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0800871. View

. Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a WHO consultation. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser. 2001; 894:i-xii, 1-253. View

Bulik C, Sullivan P, Kendler K . Genetic and environmental contributions to obesity and binge eating. Int J Eat Disord. 2003; 33(3):293-8. DOI: 10.1002/eat.10140. View

Koob G, Ahmed S, Boutrel B, Chen S, Kenny P, Markou A . Neurobiological mechanisms in the transition from drug use to drug dependence. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2004; 27(8):739-49. DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2003.11.007. View

Wadden T, Butryn M, Byrne K . Efficacy of lifestyle modification for long-term weight control. Obes Res. 2005; 12 Suppl:151S-62S. DOI: 10.1038/oby.2004.282. View

Everitt B, Robbins T . Neural systems of reinforcement for drug addiction: from actions to habits to compulsion. Nat Neurosci. 2005; 8(11):1481-9. DOI: 10.1038/nn1579. View

Avena N, Rada P, Hoebel B . Evidence for sugar addiction: behavioral and neurochemical effects of intermittent, excessive sugar intake. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2007; 32(1):20-39. PMC: 2235907. DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2007.04.019. View

Colles S, Dixon J, OBrien P . Loss of control is central to psychological disturbance associated with binge eating disorder. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008; 16(3):608-14. DOI: 10.1038/oby.2007.99. View

Avena N, Bocarsly M, Rada P, Kim A, Hoebel B . After daily bingeing on a sucrose solution, food deprivation induces anxiety and accumbens dopamine/acetylcholine imbalance. Physiol Behav. 2008; 94(3):309-15. PMC: 4354893. DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2008.01.008. View

10.

Qi L, Cho Y . Gene-environment interaction and obesity. Nutr Rev. 2008; 66(12):684-94. PMC: 3683966. DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2008.00128.x. View

11.

Gearhardt A, Corbin W, Brownell K . Preliminary validation of the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Appetite. 2009; 52(2):430-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2008.12.003. View

12.

Oswald K, Murdaugh D, King V, Boggiano M . Motivation for palatable food despite consequences in an animal model of binge eating. Int J Eat Disord. 2010; 44(3):203-11. PMC: 2941549. DOI: 10.1002/eat.20808. View

13.

Johnson P, Kenny P . Dopamine D2 receptors in addiction-like reward dysfunction and compulsive eating in obese rats. Nat Neurosci. 2010; 13(5):635-41. PMC: 2947358. DOI: 10.1038/nn.2519. View

14.

Cherpitel C, Borges G, Ye Y, Bond J, Cremonte M, Moskalewicz J . Performance of a craving criterion in DSM alcohol use disorders. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2010; 71(5):674-84. PMC: 2930058. DOI: 10.15288/jsad.2010.71.674. View

15.

Robinson E, Tobias T, Shaw L, Freeman E, Higgs S . Social matching of food intake and the need for social acceptance. Appetite. 2011; 56(3):747-52. DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2011.03.001. View

16.

Gearhardt A, Yokum S, Orr P, Stice E, Corbin W, Brownell K . Neural correlates of food addiction. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2011; 68(8):808-16. PMC: 3980851. DOI: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.32. View

17.

Gearhardt A, Corbin W, Brownell K . Food addiction: an examination of the diagnostic criteria for dependence. J Addict Med. 2011; 3(1):1-7. DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0b013e318193c993. View

18.

Hoebel B, Avena N, Bocarsly M, Rada P . Natural addiction: a behavioral and circuit model based on sugar addiction in rats. J Addict Med. 2011; 3(1):33-41. PMC: 4361030. DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0b013e31819aa621. View

19.

Davis C, Curtis C, Levitan R, Carter J, Kaplan A, Kennedy J . Evidence that 'food addiction' is a valid phenotype of obesity. Appetite. 2011; 57(3):711-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2011.08.017. View

20.

Gearhardt A, Davis C, Kuschner R, Brownell K . The addiction potential of hyperpalatable foods. Curr Drug Abuse Rev. 2011; 4(3):140-5. DOI: 10.2174/1874473711104030140. View