Considering Food Addiction Through a Cultural Lens
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FOOD ADDICTION (A MEULE, SECTION EDITOR)
Considering Food Addiction Through a Cultural Lens Jessica L. Lawson 1,2,3 & Ashley A. Wiedemann 2 & Meagan M. Carr 2 & Stephanie G. Kerrigan 2
# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Abstract Purpose of Review Research suggests that cultural factors influence eating behaviors; however, little is known about the relationship between food addiction and culture. This narrative review aimed to (i) review theoretically related work on the relationship between sociocultural demographic variables, food cravings, and eating disorders; (ii) review the available literature assessing cultural aspects of food addiction, specifically the rates of food addiction across the globe and notable differences in relevant sociodemographic variables: race, ethnicity, gender, and acculturation level; (iii) discuss the potential impact of culture on the current understanding of food addiction and future research directions emphasizing the inclusion of sociocultural variables. Recent Findings Preliminary data suggest that food addiction symptoms occur cross-culturally and that there may be significant differences between sociodemographic groups. Issues related to adequate lexicalization of concepts central to food addiction (e.g., craving, addiction) and global variations in eating culture and presentation of similar constructs (e.g., binge-eating) contribute to questions raised and identify avenues for further research. Summary Multidimensional cultural assessment is called for to characterize food addiction among diverse groups and improve our understanding of the etiology, maintenance, and sequelae of food addiction cross-culturally. Keywords Food addiction . Culture . Obesity . Eating disorders . Cross-cultural comparison
Introduction Worldwide shifts in population health are linked to sociopolitical changes, such as rapid urbanization, changes to global economies and industrial food trade, and an increasingly Westernized approach to diet and food consumption [1, 2]. These changes are coupled with greater accessibility to and demand for highly processed and palatable foods, which in turn may be associated with food addiction or addictive-like eating [2–4]. Food addiction has been studied and conceptualized from varied perspectives, with the most widely researched theory applying a substance use disorder This article is part of the Topical Collection on Food Addiction * Jessica L. Lawson [email protected] 1
VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
2
Psychiatry Department, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
3
VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Yale West Campus, 100 West Campus Drive, Orange, CT 06477, USA
framework. This theory posits that palatable foods (e.g., sugary, refined foods) possess an addictive quality that, in some people, can trigger addictive eating symptomatology, including strong cravings and overeating [5–7]. The concept of food addiction has gained considerable media attention and increasingly rigorous scientific consideration, with r
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