Validation of the French Version of the DSM-5 Yale Food Addiction Scale in a Nonclinical Sample

Abstract

Objective: The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) is the only questionnaire that assesses food addiction (FA) based on substance dependence criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Following recent updating of addiction criteria, a new DSM-5 version (YFAS 2.0) has been developed. Our study tested the psychometric properties of the French YFAS 2.0 in a nonclinical population. Method:We assessed 330 nonclinical participants for FA (French YFAS 2.0), eating behaviour, and eating disorder (Binge Eating Scale, Emotional Overeating Questionnaire, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18, Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns-Revised, Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale). We tested the scale's factor structure (confirmatory factor analysis based on 11 diagnostic criteria), internal consistency, and construct and incremental validity.Results: Prevalence of FA was 8.2%. Our results supported a 1-factor structure similar to the US version. In both its diagnostic and symptom count versions, the YFAS 2.0 had good internal consistency (Kuder-Richardson alpha was 0.83) and was associated with body mass index (BMI), binge eating, uncontrolled and emotional eating, binge eating disorder, and cognitive restraint. FA predicted BMI above and beyond binge eating frequency. Females had a higher prevalence of FA than males but not more FA symptoms. Conclusions:We validated a psychometrically sound French version of the YFAS 2.0 in a nonclinical population, in both its symptom count and diagnostic versions. Future studies should investigate psychometric properties of this questionnaire in clinical populations potentially at risk for FA (that is, patients with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, or other metabolic syndrome risk factors). Abré géObjectif : L'échelle d'addiction à l'alimentation de Yale (YFAS) est le seul questionnaire qui évalue l'addiction à l'alimentation (AA) selon les critères de dépendance aux substances du Manuel diagnostique et statistique des troubles mentaux (DSM), 4 e édition,

Preliminary validation of the Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children 2.0: A dimensional approach to scoring

“…Specifically, scores on the dYFAS-C 2.0 were positively associated with emotionally and externally triggered consumption, constructs also implicated in SUDs (Joyner et al, 2015;Loxton & Tipman, 2017;Manzoni et al, 2018). Prior food addiction research in adults and children with other versions of the YFAS have found similar associations with emotional and externally triggered eating (Brunault et al, 2017;Clark & Saules, 2013;Gearhardt et al, 2009Gearhardt et al, , 2016Loxton & Tipman, 2017;Manzoni et al, 2018). These findings suggest that interventions to increase emotion regulation (e.g., mindfulness) and the ability to cope with environmental triggers (e.g., craving management) may be beneficial for adolescents endorsing indicators of food addiction, although future research is needed.…”

Food addiction and associations with mental health symptoms: a systematic review with meta‐analysis

“…Forty-four of the 51 studies utilised the standard version of the YFAS, of which six had been converted to and validated in the following non-English languages: Italian (n = 6) (20,40,(51)(52)(53)(54) , French (n = 3) (36)(37)(38) , German (n = 3) (15,64,67) , Spanish (n = 4) (17,49,50,73) , Arabic (n = 1) (76,82) , Chinese (n = 1) (42) and Turkish (n = 1) (71) . Three studies used the shorter version of the YFAS, referred to as the modified YFAS (mYFAS), which comprises nine questions rather than the standard 25 items (45,60,72) ; these studies were larger populationbased surveys.…”

“…One study by Flint et al (45) used both versions of the YFAS and found the prevalence of FA to be lower (9%) when using the shortened tool (mYFAS) compared to the full-length version (11.4%). Two studies used the YFAS-Children version and five studies used the revised YFAS 2.0 tool (8,15,38,43,67) , which has also been converted to both French (38) and German (15,67) .…”

Food addiction among men and women in India

“…The concept of food addiction (FA) continues to gain attention, with recent interest directed towards understanding the cross-cultural presentation of FA symptomology and clinical correlates (Brunault et al, 2017;Chen, Tang, Guo, Liu, & Xiao, 2015). The FA model posits that certain individuals are susceptible to a patterned addictive response to highly palatable foods, which reinforces problematic eating behaviour (Gearhardt, Davis, Kuschner, & Brownell, 2011).…”