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Nutritional Status, Emotional Eating Status and Metabolic Control According to Food Addiction in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Publisher



Javadi F ; Esfahani EN ; Hashempour S ; Montazer M ; Nouri A ; Azadbakht L
Authors

Source: Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders Published:2026


Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the associations between food addiction, emotional eating, and metabolic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Demographic, anthropometric, and biochemical data (fasting blood sugar, HbA1c, lipids) were analyzed alongside dietary intake, assessed via the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) and Emotional Eating Questionnaire (EEQ) were used to evaluate food addiction and emotional eating. Of the 195 participants, 11 (5.6%) were identified as having food addiction. The mean age of the food addiction group (53.28 years) was significantly lower than that of the non-addicted group (57.41 years, P = 0.01). Fasting blood sugar (FBS) was significantly higher in the affected group (198.91 vs. 145.85 mg/dL, P < 0.001) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) also showed an increase at the threshold of significance (8.86% vs. 7.83%, P = 0.05). Regression analysis showed that emotional eating was the strongest significant predictor of food addiction (β = 0.442, p < 0.001). In addition, HbA1c was also a significant positive predictor (β = 0.050, p = 0.042). This model explained a total of 30.5% (R²=0.305) of the variance in food addiction. In the logistic regression model adjusted (for gender, age, socioeconomic status, and physical activity), high fasting blood sugar (≥ 126 mg/dL) was significantly associated with food addiction (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.32–9.06, P = 0.03). No significant associations were observed between food addiction and body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and lipid profile (HDL, LDL, triglycerides, total cholesterol). In conclusion, food addiction is associated with emotional eating and poor glycemic control but not with lipid profile. These findings underscore the need for psychological interventions in diabetes management. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Tehran University of Medical Sciences 2026.
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