Food addiction in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes in northeast China

Objetive To investigate the prevalence of food addiction in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) and to explore the risk factors of food addiction. Methods From February 2014 to January 2015, a total of 624 subjects (312 patients from the First Hospital of China Medical University with newly diagnosed T2DM and 312 age-and body mass index(BMI)-matched healthy controls) were recruited. All participants were asked to fulfill the Yale Food Addiction Scale(YFAS) and take physical and lab examinations. The incidence of food addiction, clinical characteristics, the prevalence and symptom scores of food addiction between two groups were analyzed. The T2DM groups were further divided into food addiction group and non-food addiction group. Independent t test and Mann-Whitney test were used to analyze normal and abnormal distribution measurement data respectively. Chi-squared test was used to analyze enumeration data. Logistic regression analysis was applied to explore independent correlation factor for food addiction in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM. Results Of the patients with newly-diagnosed T2DM, 8.6% (27/312) met the YFAS proposed diagnostic criteria for food addiction, it was significantly higher than that in the control group(1.3%,4/312) (χ2=16.43, P 0.05). Conclusion Newly diagnosed T2DM patients in northeast China are more likely to suffer from food addiction. It suggests that ones who have a tendency of food addiction should regularly take diabetes and metabolic diseases screen. Key words: Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Food addiction; Yale food addiction scale