Study: impulsive behaviours linked to overeating, food addiction

The same personality traits that can cause drug and alcohol abuse are those that can cause overeating.

New research from the University of Georgia has determined, somewhat unsurprisingly, that impulsivity is a personality trait that correlates with food addiction and a higher body mass index.

The study saw 233 participants complete the Yale Food Addiction Scale and the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale to determine food addiction and how rate how impulsive they are. They also submitted height and weight to determine BMI.

The correlations between the three were found to be strong.

“The notion of food addiction is a very new one, and one that has generated a lot of interest,” said James MacKillop, the lead researcher. “My lab generally studies alcohol, nicotine and other forms of drug addiction, but we think it’s possible to think about impulsivity, food addiction and obesity using some of the same techniques.”

Impulsive, high-risk behaviour is indirectly related to a higher BMI; impulsive behaviour can cause food addiction, which can then cause waistlines to swell.

MacKillop noted the “study shows that impulsive behaviour was not necessarily associated with obesity, but impulsive behaviours can lead to food addiction.”