2026/01/25 by Vincent A. Santiago, Stephanie E. Cassin · 1 voice
Medicine · Psychology · #Eating Disorders and Behaviors #Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes #Workaholism, burnout, and well-being
paper · doi:10.1186/s40337-025-01522-5
openalex publication_date 2026/01/25 · openalex created_date 2026/01/26 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
Food addiction is the concept that individuals can feel “addicted” to highly processed foods. Few interventions exist to treat it; however, recent studies targeting food addiction have drawn upon evidence-based treatments for addictions and eating disorders, including adapted motivational interviewing (AMI) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). The current study investigated the efficacy of a novel 4-session intervention for food addiction that combines AMI + CBT (MotivATE) compared to a waitlist control (WLC). Of 131 screened individuals from the general community, 92 participants (mean age = 34.9 years, SD = 12.0; 77% women; 51% People of Colour; 29% sexual minorities) were randomized into AMI + CBT (MotivATE) therapy (n = 55) or WLC (n = 37). Participants needed to meet criteria for at least “mild” food addiction on the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) 2.0 to be eligible. Baseline average YFAS 2.0 scores were 8.7–8.9 symptoms (“severe” food addiction) out of a possible 11 for both groups. Therapists were clinical psychology doctoral students supervised by a registered clinical psychologist. Participants were assessed at Baseline, Month 1 (postintervention), Month 2, and Month 4. Follow-up periods were similar to previous MI interventions for binge eating. Sample size was determined by power analyses using effect sizes from such interventions. Of 60 participants who started therapy, 40% met diagnostic criteria for Binge Eating Disorder, 25% for Bulimia Nervosa, 7% for Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED), and 28% did not meet criteria for a current eating disorder. The therapy group reported significantly greater reductions in food addiction, addiction-like eating, binge eating symptoms, and loss-of-control eating compared to the WLC group at all follow-up timepoints. However, the therapy group did not report greater reductions in self-reported binge eating episodes or food cravings compared to WLC. This trial provides initial evidence for the feasibility and efficacy of a brief AMI + CBT intervention for food addiction among a diverse community sample. Future trials of this intervention may benefit from greater dosages of treatment and longer follow-up periods. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04666831; registered December 14, 2020. Food addiction or the concept of being “addicted” to highly processed foods has received ongoing research interest. Although treatment approaches have been proposed, very little research has tested interventions for this specific issue. This study tested a talk therapy (“MotivATE”) that combined two treatments called motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy for food addiction. This involved using a person-centred counseling style to resolve ambivalence about making changes, and teaching coping skills to help people improve their eating behaviours. Participants who received the treatment had significant improvements in food addiction and binge eating symptoms compared to a waitlist group, immediately after treatment and 1- and 3-months after treatment.