During the Coronary Artery Revascularization in Diabetes (CARD) trial, which followed a population of 18-35 year old patients over 10 years, the average patient showed a weight increase of at least 7 kg (15.4 lbs) regardless of race and sex. The study demonstrated that significant weight gain over the course of adult life is now normative, suggesting a strong cultural component.Gaining weight with age is considered normal. In order to be classified as a disease, however, a condition must clearly differ from the norms of society. This conundrum has led some to refute claims that food addictions should be included in the DSM-V as it may simply be a behavioral disturbance with an adverse medical outcome, not necessarily a psychiatric condition. While not all individuals who are obese may fit the existing criteria for food addiction, it is possible that individuals who may represent a subcategory that is characterized in part by significant distress due to their thoughts and behaviors regarding food and/or exhibit compromised functioning as a result of these thoughts and behaviors. As such, these individuals may be recognized as having a psychiatric condition despite being within a weight range that may be considered relatively normal based on current trends within society. In fact, over- and/or normal weight individuals might also fit the criteria for food addiction. References
- Norman JE, Bild D, Lewis CE, Liu K, West DS. The impact of weight change on cardiovascular disease risk factors in young black and white adults: the CARDIA study. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. Mar 2003; 27(3), 369-376.
- Devlin MJ. Is there a place for obesity in DSM-V? Int J Eat Disord. Nov 2007; 40(S1), 83-88.
