A Meta-Analysis Evaluating the prevalence of Food Addiction in Children and Adolescents

Childhood obesity and food addiction (FA) have long been associated. However, nothing is known about how common FA is in children and teenagers. The Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children and Adolescents (YFAS-C), a tool for measuring FA in children and adolescents, has been developed to determine the prevalence of FA in pediatric populations. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compile the information on FA prevalence in children and adolescents. Using keywords related to FA and children in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science searches, we discovered and assessed 22 cross-sectional publications. There were no longitudinal studies found throughout the investigation. A meta-analysis utilizing the Freeman-Tukey Double Arcsine transformation was used to ascertain the incidence of FA. Meta-regression was performed to determine if weight status (i.e., data from population samples vs overweight/obese models) is related to FA.

With the increased prevalence and associated morbidity, childhood obesity is becoming a worldwide health concern. Obesity-related ill health is associated with both physical and psychological issues in individuals and economic constraints on nations. Therefore, it is crucial to identify ways to lessen the incidence of childhood obesity. For the most part, since obesity is challenging to cure due to its different etiologies, several preventative and therapeutic methods have been recommended to address childhood obesity. One potential factor is food addiction (FA), which has been found.

FA is a crucial subject for teens. This systematic review and meta-analysis revealed a relatively high incidence of FA in children and adolescents, and as a result, healthcare professionals, legislators, and other stakeholders should create effective therapies to address FA in this age group.

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