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Food addiction and psychiatric comorbidities: a review of current evidence

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Abstract

Background

Food addiction (FA) is characterised by the consumption of appetible foods and by addictive psychological and behavioural symptoms such as cravings, tolerance, limited control of substance intake and withdrawal symptoms. Despite previous research on FA has been hindered by the lack of a formal definition for this condition, recent global trends have stirred the interest of the scientific community towards a proper classification and construct of FA. More specifically, recent studies have pointed towards shared defective neurobiological mechanisms as well as frequent comorbidities between FA, eating disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders and substance-related and addictive disorders.

Objective

In this review, we will provide an overview of the complex symptomatology of food addiction evaluating its relationship with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and substance-related and addictive disorders.

Methods

We wrote a systematic review and followed a PRISMA methods.

Results

Patients with FA and substance use disorders show similar risk factors, neurobiological and hormonal correlates, personality traits and symptom profiles. The presence of FA appears to be directly proportional to the burden of symptoms of affective disorder. The comorbidity between FA and other eating disorders is associated with worse clinical conditions and symptoms.

Conclusion

FA should be considered a sort of transnosological construct existing in different psychopathological domains that have similarities with substance-related, affective, and eating disorders. Furthermore, FA seems to be likely an important factor related to several psychopathological dimensions, but further studies are needed to clarify this view.

Level of evidence

Level V, review article.

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Acknowledgements

Prof. Piccinni planned the paper. Drs. Bucchi and Drs. Fini selected and reviewed the available literature. All authors wrote the paper that was revised and approved for publication by Dr. Cargioli.

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Author notes

  1. Armando Piccinni, Rachele Bucchi and Claudia Fini authors co-first.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unicamillus, Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Rome, Italy

    Armando Piccinni

  2. Brain Research Foundation (BRF), Via Berlinghieri 15, 55100, Lucca, Italy

    Armando Piccinni, Rachele Bucchi, Claudia Fini, Federica Vanelli & Ernesto Daniel Cavallo

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Biotechnologies, UNIPI, Pisa, Italy

    Mauro Mauri

  4. Ente Nazionale di Previdenza e Assistenza a Favore Dei Biologi (ENPAB), Rome, Italy

    Tiziana Stallone

  5. Department of Psychiatry, North-Western Tuscany Region Local Health Unit, Collesalvetti, Italy

    Cargioli Claudio

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  1. Armando Piccinni
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Correspondence to Armando Piccinni.

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Piccinni, A., Bucchi, R., Fini, C. et al. Food addiction and psychiatric comorbidities: a review of current evidence. Eat Weight Disord 26, 1049–1056 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-020-01021-3

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