GENDER-BASED EVALUATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOOD ADDICTION, EATING BEHAVIORS, AND METABOLIC INDICATORS IN INDIVIDUALS WITH OBESITY

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the gender-specific associations between food addiction (FA), eating attitudes, emotional eating, insulin resistance, and nutritional status in individuals with obesity. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 240 individuals with obesity (149 women, 91 men). Participants were assessed using the Modified Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 (mYFAS 2.0), Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ), Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), and Food Craving Questionnaire-Trait-reduced (FCQT-R). Anthropometric measurements were obtained and biochemical markers including fasting blood glucose, insulin, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), vitamin D, and cortisol levels were analyzed. Results: Food addiction was identified in 54.2% (n=130) of the participants, with a significantly higher prevalence in women than in men (65.8% vs. 35.2%, p<0.001). Individuals with FA demonstrated significantly higher levels of food craving and loss of control over eating (p<0.001). Among women with FA, HOMA-IR values were significantly higher (p=0.004), while vitamin D levels were significantly lower (p=0.035) compared with women without FA. In men with FA, visceral fat percentage was significantly higher than in non-addicted men (p<0.001). Conclusion: Food addiction is highly prevalent among individuals with obesity, particularly among women, and is associated with gender-specific psychological and metabolic alterations. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating gender-sensitive approaches into the assessment and management of obesity-related eating behaviors and metabolic risk.

Keywords

• Obesity
• Food Addiction
• Feeding Behavior
• Emotional Eating

Obez Bireylerde Yeme Bağımlılığı: Yeme Davranışları ve Metabolik Göstergeler Arasındaki İlişkinin Cinsiyete Dayalı Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmada, obezitesi olan bireylerde yeme bağımlılığı (YB) ile yeme tutumları, duygusal yeme, insülin direnci ve beslenme durumu arasındaki ilişkilerin cinsiyete özgü olarak incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Yöntem: Kesitsel nitelikteki araştırma, obezitesi olan 240 birey (149 kadın, 91 erkek) üzerinde yürütülmüştür. Katılımcılar Modifiye Edilmiş Yale Yeme Bağımlılığı Ölçeği Sürüm 2.0 (mYFAS 2.0), Duygusal Yeme Ölçeği (EEQ), Yeme Tutum Testi-26 (YTT-26) ve Yeme Arzusu Ölçeği–Özellik (kısaltılmış form) (FCQT-R) kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Antropometrik ölçümler alınmış; açlık kan şekeri, insülin, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, D vitamini ve kortizol düzeyleri analiz edilmiştir. Bulgular: Katılımcıların %54,2’sinde yeme bağımlılığı saptanmış olup, prevalans kadınlarda erkeklere göre anlamlı düzeyde daha yüksektir (p < 0,001). Yeme bağımlılığı olan bireylerde yeme arzusu ve yeme kontrol kaybı düzeyleri anlamlı olarak daha yüksek bulunmuştur (p < 0,001). Yeme bağımlılığı olan kadınlarda HOMA-IR değerleri daha yüksek, D vitamini düzeyleri ise daha düşük saptanmıştır (p < 0,05). Erkeklerde yeme bağımlılığı varlığı, daha yüksek visseral yağ oranı ile ilişkili bulunmuştur (p < 0,001). Sonuç: Yeme bağımlılığı, obezitesi olan bireylerde yüksek sıklıkta görülmekte ve cinsiyete özgü psikolojik ve metabolik farklılıklarla ilişkilidir. Bu bulgular, obezitenin değerlendirilmesi ve yönetiminde cinsiyete duyarlı yaklaşımların önemini ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

• Obezite
• Yeme Bağımlılığı
• Yeme Davranışı
• Duygusal Yeme

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