Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
2.6
2.5
Journals
Behavioral Sciences
Special Issues
Therapeutic Advances in Eating Disorders and Addictive Eating
share announcement

Therapeutic Advances in Eating Disorders and Addictive Eating

A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 11179

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Kirrilly Pursey

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Health and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
Interests: disordered eating; addictive eating; paediatric nutrition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Rebecca Collins

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Health and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
Interests: addictive eating; eating patterns; lived experience of eating behaviours

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Eating disorders are characterised by unhealthy eating attitudes and behaviours that can affect physical, mental and psychosocial health. The prevalence of disordered eating is increasing globally, highlighting the need for appropriate and effective treatment and management approaches that are acceptable to people with a lived experience of disordered or addictive eating behaviours. Of particular interest in the disordered eating and addiction domains is the concept of addictive eating, or food addiction, which has garnered significant attention in both the general community and scientific arenas.

The aim of this Special Issue, “Therapeutic Advances in Eating Disorders and Food Addiction”, is to highlight emerging evidence around novel treatment and management approaches across a broad scope of disordered eating behaviours, including addictive eating, with a special focus on advancing knowledge of the lived experience of people affected by these behaviours.   

This Special Issue will provide health care professionals and researchers with emerging evidence around the therapeutic opportunities to assist in improving the health outcomes and wellbeing of people affected by disordered eating behaviours, with a particular focus on addictive eating. 

Dr. Kirrilly Pursey
Dr. Rebecca Collins
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Behavioral Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • feeding and eating disorders
  • disordered eating
  • eating disorders
  • eating behaviours
  • eating attitudes
  • food addiction
  • addictive eating
  • intervention
  • treatment
  • lived experience

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

10 pages, 274 KiB  
Article
Clinical Relevance of Food Addiction in Higher Weight Patients across the Binge Eating Spectrum
by Alycia Jobin, Félicie Gingras, Juliette Beaupré, Maxime Legendre and Catherine Bégin
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(8), 645; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14080645 - 26 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1177
Abstract
Food addiction (FA) is associated with greater severity on many eating-related correlates when comorbid with binge eating disorder (BED) but no study has established this relation across the whole spectrum of binge eating, i.e., from no BED to subthreshold BED to BED diagnosis. [...] Read more.
Food addiction (FA) is associated with greater severity on many eating-related correlates when comorbid with binge eating disorder (BED) but no study has established this relation across the whole spectrum of binge eating, i.e., from no BED to subthreshold BED to BED diagnosis. This study aims to examine the effect of the presence of FA on the severity of eating behaviors and psychological correlates in patients without BED, subthreshold BED or BED diagnosis. Participants (n = 223) were recruited at a university center specialized in obesity and eating disorder treatment and completed a semi-structured diagnostic interview and questionnaires measuring eating behaviors, emotional regulation, impulsivity, childhood interpersonal trauma, and personality traits. They were categorized by the presence of an eating disorder (no BED, subthreshold BED, or BED) and the presence of FA. Group comparisons showed that, in patients with BED, those with FA demonstrated higher disinhibition (t(79) = −2.19, p = 0.032) and more maladaptive emotional regulation strategies (t(43) = −2.37, p = 0.022) than participants without FA. In patients with subthreshold BED, those with FA demonstrated higher susceptibility to hunger (t(68) = −2.55, p = 0.013) and less cooperativeness (t(68) = 2.60, p = 0.012). In patients without BED, those with FA demonstrated higher disinhibition (t(70) = −3.15, p = 0.002), more maladaptive emotional regulation strategies (t(53) = −2.54, p = 0.014), more interpersonal trauma (t(69) = −2.41, p = 0.019), and less self-directedness (t(70) = 2.14, p = 0.036). We argue that the assessment of FA provides relevant information to complement eating disorder diagnoses. FA identifies a subgroup of patients showing higher severity on many eating-related correlates along the binge eating spectrum. It also allows targeting of patients without a formal eating disorder diagnosis who would still benefit from professional help. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Advances in Eating Disorders and Addictive Eating)
15 pages, 263 KiB  
Article
The Food Addiction Clinical Treatment (FACT) Manual: A Harm Reduction Treatment Approach
by Erin L. O’Hea, Shenelle A. Edwards-Hampton, Dana L. Beall Brown, Kendrin R. Sonneville, Douglas M. Ziedonis and Ashley N. Gearhardt
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 557; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14070557 - 1 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2430
Abstract
While the construct of food addiction has been controversial, there is growing evidence that certain foods can activate biobehavioral and neurological mechanisms consistent with addiction to other substances. Despite increased evidence and acceptance of certain foods as addictive substances amongst the scientific community, [...] Read more.
While the construct of food addiction has been controversial, there is growing evidence that certain foods can activate biobehavioral and neurological mechanisms consistent with addiction to other substances. Despite increased evidence and acceptance of certain foods as addictive substances amongst the scientific community, there is a paucity of interventions available that are uniquely suited for the treatment of this condition. Further, many of the addiction and disordered eating treatment models currently utilized for food addiction are seemingly at odds, with the former often recommending complete abstinence from trigger foods and the latter promoting intake of all foods in moderation. The Food Addiction Clinical Treatment (FACT) manual was created as an alternative using an empirically supported harm-reduction model specifically targeted to treat the addiction and disordered eating features of food addiction. The purpose of the current article is to expose readers to the key tenets of the FACT manual, demonstrate the feasibility of this intervention with a sample of participants with severe food addiction, and discuss future directions for the treatment of food addiction. Positive outcomes from this intervention provide preliminary evidence for the efficacy of FACT for the treatment of food addiction with minimal negative adverse effects. Future research using randomized control trials and longer follow-up is needed to validate the FACT manual as an empirically supported treatment for food addiction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Advances in Eating Disorders and Addictive Eating)
12 pages, 481 KiB  
Article
A Study of the Relationship between University Students’ Food Neophobia and Their Tendencies towards Orthorexia Nervosa
by Ayse Gumusler Basaran and Yagmur Demirel Ozbek
Behav. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 958; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13120958 - 21 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1945
Abstract
Food neophobia, known as an avoidance of the consumption of unknown foods, can negatively impact nutritional quality. In orthorexia nervosa, there is an excessive mental effort to consume healthy food. Individuals exhibiting symptoms of food neophobia and orthorexia nervosa may experience food restrictions. [...] Read more.
Food neophobia, known as an avoidance of the consumption of unknown foods, can negatively impact nutritional quality. In orthorexia nervosa, there is an excessive mental effort to consume healthy food. Individuals exhibiting symptoms of food neophobia and orthorexia nervosa may experience food restrictions. This study aimed to assess food neophobia levels and orthorexia nervosa tendencies among university students, investigate the potential association between the two constructs, and explore the effect of the demographic characteristics of the participants on the variables. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. The study sample consisted of 609 students enrolled at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University. The data were collected through Google Forms using a sociodemographic information form, the Food Neophobia Scale, and the ORTO-11 scale. Ethics committee approval and institutional permission were obtained for the study. Of the students participating in the survey, 71.9% were female, 14.6% were classified as neophobic, and 47.1% had orthorexia nervosa symptoms. The mean scores from the Food Neophobia Scale (39.41 ± 9.23) and the ORTO-11 scale (27.43 ± 5.35) were in the normal range. Food neophobia was significantly higher among those who did not consume alcohol. Orthorexia nervosa symptoms were significantly more common among married people. In the correlation analysis, no significant relationship was found between age, food neophobia, and orthorexia nervosa. It can be said that food neophobia in this study is similar to in other studies conducted on university students. In addition, about half of the participants had symptoms of orthorexia nervosa. This result is higher compared to other studies conducted with university students. The findings of this study indicate that the participants care about the healthfulness of food. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Advances in Eating Disorders and Addictive Eating)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 293 KiB  
Article
Exploring Psychological Constructs in People Receiving Treatment for Addictive Eating Behaviours: “I Hate Loving Food as Much as I Do”
by Rebecca A. Collins, Kerith Duncanson, Janelle A. Skinner, Phillipa J. Hay, Susan J. Paxton and Tracy L. Burrows
Behav. Sci. 2023, 13(10), 817; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13100817 - 4 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1782
Abstract
Research into the complexities of addictive eating behaviours continues to develop, as a deeper understanding of this construct beyond self-report diagnostic tools emerges. In this study, we undertook structured interviews with 40 participants engaged in a personality-based management program for addictive eating, to [...] Read more.
Research into the complexities of addictive eating behaviours continues to develop, as a deeper understanding of this construct beyond self-report diagnostic tools emerges. In this study, we undertook structured interviews with 40 participants engaged in a personality-based management program for addictive eating, to gain insight into what situations lead people with addictive eating behaviours to overeat, and how they believe their lives would be different if they had control over their eating. A phenomenological analysis to explore compulsion and control in the context of food experiences for participants was used to construct two main themes of the addictive eating paradox and striving to transition from ‘other’ to ‘normal’. The addictive eating paradox identified multiple contradictory experiences of a situation, e.g., ‘loving food’ but ‘hating food’. Striving to transition from ‘other’ to ‘normal’ encompassed the idea that participants envisaged that by gaining control over their eating they could become ‘normal’. This study emphasises the need to provide support and strategies to help people navigate paradoxical thoughts and presents new ideas to increase the effectiveness of interventions for individuals struggling with the complex self-beliefs held by those with addictive eating behaviours. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Advances in Eating Disorders and Addictive Eating)

Review

Jump to: Research

22 pages, 1125 KiB  
Review
“I Need Someone to Help Me Build Up My Strength”: A Meta-Synthesis of Lived Experience Perspectives on the Role and Value of a Dietitian in Eating Disorder Treatment
by Yive Yang, Janet Conti, Caitlin M. McMaster, Milan K. Piya and Phillipa Hay
Behav. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 944; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13110944 - 17 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2615
Abstract
Dietitians are included in eating disorder (ED) treatment teams for their expertise in nutrition. However, little is known about an individual’s experience of dietetic intervention as part of their ED treatment and what they value as part of dietetic care. Therefore, the aim [...] Read more.
Dietitians are included in eating disorder (ED) treatment teams for their expertise in nutrition. However, little is known about an individual’s experience of dietetic intervention as part of their ED treatment and what they value as part of dietetic care. Therefore, the aim of this review was to synthesise the available qualitative literature to understand the role and value of a dietitian in ED treatment from the perspective of individuals with lived experience. Six databases and Google Scholar were searched and a thematic synthesis and meta-synthesis of fifteen studies were conducted. Four themes were constructed from the data: (1) “guidance and structure”—Provision of nutrition knowledge and skills; (2) “having all my bases covered”—Dietitians as part of a multidisciplinary team; (3) Challenges in nutritional treatment; and (4) “it was my treatment and my recovery”—Person-centred dietetic treatment. Across all identified themes was the cross-cutting theme of a shared treatment journey between the dietitian and the individual receiving treatment. These findings support dietitians having a role that is not limited only to the provision of nutrition treatment in ED care and illustrates the importance of dietitians engaging with clients by centring on the individual’s needs and preferences. Further understanding helpful dietetic treatment components and identifying gaps in training is needed to develop these broader roles for dietetic care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Advances in Eating Disorders and Addictive Eating)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop