Lived Experience and Defining Addictive-Like Eating: a Synthesis of Qualitative Research

AbstractPurpose of ReviewAddictive-like eating has engendered much controversy, in part because it has been ill-defined. Qualitative research has described individuals ’ experiences and definitions of addictive-like eating, providing insights about its central features. The aim of the present review was to synthesize the latest qualitative research on addictive-like eating, to identify features that are common across individuals’ experiences. We sought to unde rstand how people with lived experience of addictive-like eating define and conceptualize this phenomenon, to answer the question, “What is addictive-like eating?” We conducted this review using qualitative meta-synthesis methodology. Searches of four databases identified 13 English-language qua litative studies of addictive-like eating or food addiction. After assessing research quality, we retained seven articles focused on lived experiences and definitions of addictive-like eating or food addiction, published between 2014 and 2019.Recent FindingsThemes identified included, in order of descending frequency and prominence in representation within lived experiences, loss of control over eating, psychological and functional preoccupation, emotional eating and shame, health- and weight-related distress, consequences of addictive-like eating, and role of context and food environment. Overall, we observed only modest alignment between lived experiences of addictive-like eating and DSM-5 substance use disorder criter...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - Category: Addiction Source Type: research