Investigating Sex Differences in Rates and Correlates of Food Addiction Status in Women and Men with PTSD
Background: Food addiction (FA) is a dysregulated eating pattern characterized by difficulties in controlling the intake of certain foods. There is an overlap in physical and mental health correlates of FA and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to examine sex differ...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/6/1840 |
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| author | Monika M. Stojek Justyna Lipka Jessica M. Maples-Keller Sheila A. M. Rauch Kathryn Black Vasiliki Michopoulos Barbara O. Rothbaum |
| author_facet | Monika M. Stojek Justyna Lipka Jessica M. Maples-Keller Sheila A. M. Rauch Kathryn Black Vasiliki Michopoulos Barbara O. Rothbaum |
| author_sort | Monika M. Stojek |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Food addiction (FA) is a dysregulated eating pattern characterized by difficulties in controlling the intake of certain foods. There is an overlap in physical and mental health correlates of FA and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to examine sex differences in the rates of positive FA status in individuals with threshold/subthreshold PTSD, and to examine sex differences in the physical and mental health correlates of FA. Methods: Post-9/11 veterans/service members seeking PTSD treatment were recruited. Participants were diagnosed with PTSD via the administration of a clinical interview. FA status was determined using Modified Yale Food Addiction Scale-2, binary sex and body mass index were assessed with demographics questions. Results: Nearly half (43%) of the sample were women. There were no sex differences in the rates of FA, with an overall FA prevalence of 18%. There were no sex differences in FA symptom count in the whole sample (M = 1.63) or those with FA status (M = 6.21). Individuals with FA reported higher frequency of disordered eating, higher severity of PTSD, and depression symptoms. Conclusions: FA should be assessed in tandem with PTSD symptoms, as its prevalence in that sample is higher than in the general population, and it appears to affect both sexes at similar rates. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:58:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-69b0957374744d98a21952d5e321873c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:58:32Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-69b0957374744d98a21952d5e321873c2023-11-21T21:42:58ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432021-05-01136184010.3390/nu13061840Investigating Sex Differences in Rates and Correlates of Food Addiction Status in Women and Men with PTSDMonika M. Stojek0Justyna Lipka1Jessica M. Maples-Keller2Sheila A. M. Rauch3Kathryn Black4Vasiliki Michopoulos5Barbara O. Rothbaum6Department of Social Sciences, University of Silesia, 40-007 Katowice, PolandDepartment of Social Sciences, University of Silesia, 40-007 Katowice, PolandDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USADepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USADepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USADepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USADepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USABackground: Food addiction (FA) is a dysregulated eating pattern characterized by difficulties in controlling the intake of certain foods. There is an overlap in physical and mental health correlates of FA and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to examine sex differences in the rates of positive FA status in individuals with threshold/subthreshold PTSD, and to examine sex differences in the physical and mental health correlates of FA. Methods: Post-9/11 veterans/service members seeking PTSD treatment were recruited. Participants were diagnosed with PTSD via the administration of a clinical interview. FA status was determined using Modified Yale Food Addiction Scale-2, binary sex and body mass index were assessed with demographics questions. Results: Nearly half (43%) of the sample were women. There were no sex differences in the rates of FA, with an overall FA prevalence of 18%. There were no sex differences in FA symptom count in the whole sample (M = 1.63) or those with FA status (M = 6.21). Individuals with FA reported higher frequency of disordered eating, higher severity of PTSD, and depression symptoms. Conclusions: FA should be assessed in tandem with PTSD symptoms, as its prevalence in that sample is higher than in the general population, and it appears to affect both sexes at similar rates.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/6/1840food addictionposttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)sex differenceseating dysregulationtraumaobesity |
| spellingShingle | Monika M. Stojek Justyna Lipka Jessica M. Maples-Keller Sheila A. M. Rauch Kathryn Black Vasiliki Michopoulos Barbara O. Rothbaum Investigating Sex Differences in Rates and Correlates of Food Addiction Status in Women and Men with PTSD Nutrients food addiction posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) sex differences eating dysregulation trauma obesity |
| title | Investigating Sex Differences in Rates and Correlates of Food Addiction Status in Women and Men with PTSD |
| title_full | Investigating Sex Differences in Rates and Correlates of Food Addiction Status in Women and Men with PTSD |
| title_fullStr | Investigating Sex Differences in Rates and Correlates of Food Addiction Status in Women and Men with PTSD |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating Sex Differences in Rates and Correlates of Food Addiction Status in Women and Men with PTSD |
| title_short | Investigating Sex Differences in Rates and Correlates of Food Addiction Status in Women and Men with PTSD |
| title_sort | investigating sex differences in rates and correlates of food addiction status in women and men with ptsd |
| topic | food addiction posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) sex differences eating dysregulation trauma obesity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/6/1840 |
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