ArticleObesity (Silver Spring, Md.)2016
Believing in food addiction: Helpful or counterproductive for eating behavior?
Article in Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 19 citations in OpenAlex.
- The MotivATE randomized controlled trial: treating food addiction with adapted motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy versus a waitlist control condition.Journal of eating disorders · 2026Article
- Meeting of Minds around Food Addiction: Insights from Addiction Medicine, Nutrition, Psychology, and Neurosciences.Nutrients · 2020Review
- Article
- Food Addiction Beliefs Amongst the Lay Public: What Are the Consequences for Eating Behaviour?Current addiction reports · 2017Review
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveObesity is often attributed to an addiction to food, and many people believe themselves to be "food addicts." However, little is known about how such beliefs may affect dietary control and weight management. The current research examined the impact of experimentally manipulating participants' personal food addiction beliefs on eating behavior.
methodsIn two studies, female participants (study 1: N = 64; study 2: N = 90) completed food-related computerized tasks and were given bogus feedback on their performance which indicated that they had high, low, or average food addiction tendencies. Food intake was then assessed in an ad libitum taste test. Dietary concern and time taken to complete the taste test were recorded in study 2.
resultsIn study 1, participants in the high-addiction condition consumed fewer calories than those in the low-addiction condition, F(1,60) = 7.61, P = 0.008, ηp (2) = 0.11. Study 2 replicated and extended this finding, showing that the effect of the high-addiction condition on food intake was mediated by increased dietary concern, which reduced the amount of time participants willingly spent exposed to the foods during the taste test, b = -0.06 (0.03), 95% confidence interval = -0.13 to -0.01.
conclusionsBelieving oneself to be a food addict is associated with short-term dietary restriction. The longer-term effects on weight management now warrant attention.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.