Food addiction in young adult residents of Russia: Associations with emotional and anthropometric characteristics

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Abstract
The incidence of food addiction (FA) and associations between FA and anthropometric and psycho‐emotional characteristics of young Russian adults were studied. In this study, 1,237 students (age, M = 20.6, SD = 4.6 years; 79% females) of universities located in four cities of Russia were attended. They provided demographics and filled in the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, and the Zung Self‐Rating Depression Scale. Data were analysed via Chi‐squared tests, logistic regression analysis, and an analysis of covariance. 13.2% of participants met diagnostic criteria for FA based on the YFAS. On average, the participants reported 2.6 FA symptoms (SD = 1.5). FA was more commonly detected in females (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.10, 3.15, p = .021). No relationship was found between age and the incidence of FA. Significant positive associations between FA, the severity of depression (OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.91, 2.80, p = .000), and an emotional eating behaviour (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.20, 1.76, p = .000) were found. The waist‐to‐height ratio was found to be the anthropometric indicator most closely associated with FA (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.27, 1.76, p = .000).Highlights: The prevalence of food addiction in the current sample was 13.2%. In young Russian adults, emotional eating behaviour and depression are associated with food addiction. In young Russian adults, the waist‐to‐height ratio is the anthropometric indicator most closely associated with food addiction.
Funding Information
  • The Russian Foundation for Basic Research (18-013-00079)

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