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STUDIES
The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing in our society, with a complex, multifactorial origin, and associated with greater morbidity and mortality in the population. Food addiction (FA) is a common disorder in overweight/obese people, which appears to be increasingly common in young people. This study analyzed food addiction in a group of young university students and to examine its association with body composition, quality of sleep, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, physical activity/sedentary habits, tobacco or alcohol consumption, and health status. A total of 536 undergraduate nursing students participated in a questionnaire that included the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0). Up to 6.4% of the students presented FA. Statistically significant associations were observed in the variables for sleep quality odds ratio (OR) 4.8 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.66–13.87), anxiety/depression OR 8.71 (95% CI: 3.93–19.27), body mass index (BMI) OR 8.32 (95% CI: 3.81–18.15) and sedentary lifestyle OR 2.33 (95% CI: 1.09–5.01). A predictive model was developed after binary logistic regression (area under the ROC curve 0.84
(95% CI: 0.77–0.91). Students with FA presented higher BMI values, worse sleep quality, anxiety or
depression problems, and more time spent in sedentary behaviors
Food addiction is an emerging area of both clinical and research interest. The current review discussed several definitional and conceptual categorisations that have been put forth to quantify food addiction. However, the YFAS 2·0 concept predominates the literature. Similarly, evidence shows some similarities of food addiction with established eating disorders, particularly BED. Thus, the current review supports two main areas of contention that warrant much more research; considering food addiction as a substance-related addiction or a behavioural-related addiction and if food addiction is distinct from established eating disorders. Further research is needed to continue to delineate and clarify controversies about similarities and differences in food addiction with other concepts and established disorders.
Food Addiction and Lifestyle Habits among University Students
Romero-Blanco C, Hernández-Martínez A, Parra-Fernández ML, Onieva-Zafra MD, Prado-Laguna MDC, Rodríguez-Almagro Food Addiction and Lifestyle Habits among University Students. J. Nutrients. 2021 Apr 18;13(4):1352. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13041352 . PMID: 33919610
Environmental Factors
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