Research has shown that overweight children and adolescents may experience mental health issues due to food addiction. It suggests that obesity and food addiction should not be viewed merely as chronic diseases and dietary issues, but rather as factors that hinder mental health.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced on the 4th that a joint research team led by Professor Park Kyung-hee of Hallym University’s Department of Family Medicine presented findings indicating that food addiction in obese children and adolescents causes emotional and behavioral disorders.
The research team analyzed the correlation between food addiction and emotional and behavioral issues in 224 children and adolescents aged 8 to 16 who are overweight in South Korea. Food addiction is the compulsive eating behavior characterized by an inability to control consumption of specific foods. It is associated with the brain's reward system and is known to exhibit characteristics similar to substance addiction.
Participants evaluated their food addiction using the Youth Food Addiction Scale-Child (YFAS-C) questionnaire, and psychological and behavioral assessments were conducted using the Youth Self-Report (YSR) questionnaire to measure depression, anxiety, aggression, and attention.
As a result, among the 224 overweight children and adolescents, about 20%, or 44 individuals, were identified as being in a high-risk group for food addiction. The greater the risk of food addiction, the more severe the level of obesity, and it was confirmed that self-esteem was lower, and family functions such as emotional interactions and support within families were also lower. The more severe the symptoms of food addiction, the greater the problems related to emotions such as anxiety and depression.
The research team analyzed that as obesity among children and adolescents has increased recently, it also impacts mental health alongside chronic disease issues like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and fatty liver in adulthood. Since food addiction can affect not only physical health due to lack of appetite control but also mental health, there should be a focus on prevention and treatment.
Park Hyun-young, director of the National Health Research Institute, noted, "Food addiction is not merely a dietary habit but an important factor affecting obesity and mental health," adding, "Obese children and adolescents may exhibit emotional behavioral issues along with food addiction, thus requiring careful management."
The research findings were presented in the international journal "Obesity Research & Clinical Practice" on the 15th of last month.
References
Obesity Research & Clinical Practice (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orcp.2025.02.002