Food addiction in Russian adolescents: Associations with age, sex, weight, and depression.

Objective: Eating disorders are a cause of the recent obesity epidemic. Food addiction (FA) and factors associated with eating disorders have not been adequately studied in adolescents.

Method: The final study sample included 1,144 students. Study participants were asked to indicate their age, sex, and month of birth and fill out the Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children and Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale.

Results: Of the total number of adolescents studied, 4.5% had FA. It was found that an increased rate of FA diagnosis existed in adolescents with moderate-to-severe depression (P < 0.000), overweight and obese individuals (P < 0.002), girls (P < 0.038), and the 17- to 18-year-old age group (P < 0.007).

Conclusion: The data indicate that FA is positively associated with depression, obesity, age, and sex.