Dr Mark Leary

Introduction Codesign is a meaningful end-user engagement in research design. The integrated knowledge translation (IKT) framework involves adopting a collaborative research approach to produce and apply knowledge to address real-world needs, resulting in useful and useable recommendations that will more likely be applied in policy and practice. In the field of food addiction (FA), there are limited treatment options that have been reported to show improvements in FA symptoms. Objectives The primary aim of this paper is to describe the step-by-step codesign and refinement of a complex intervention delivered via telehealth for adults with FA using an IKT approach. The secondary aim is to describe our intervention in detail according to the TIDieR checklist. Design This study applies the IKT process and describes the codesign and refinement of an intervention through a series of online meetings, workshops and interviews. Participants This study included researchers, clinicians, consumers and health professionals. Primary outcome measure The primary outcome was a refined intervention for use in adults with symptoms of FA for a research trial. Results A total of six female health professionals and five consumers (n=4 female) with lived overeating experience participated in two interviews lasting 60 min each. This process resulted in the identification of eight barriers and three facilitators to providing and receiving treatment for FA, eight components needed or missing from current treatments, telehealth as a feasible delivery platform, and refinement of key elements to ensure the intervention met the needs of both health professionals and possible patients. Conclusion Using an IKT approach allowed for a range of viewpoints and enabled multiple professions and disciplines to engage in a semiformalised way to bring expertise to formulate a possible intervention for FA. Mapping the intervention plan to the TIDieR checklist for complex interventions, allowed for detailed description of the intervention and the identification of a number of areas that needed to be refined before development of the finalised intervention protocol.

(1) Background: Research suggests that certain foods may have addictive effects; however, no reviews have systematically appraised studies in this area. The aims of this review were to determine the nutrients, foods and dietary patterns associated with addictive eating. (2) Methods: Published studies up to November 2020 were identified through searches of 6 electronic databases. Eligible studies included those in in children and adults that reported dietary intakes of individuals with 'food addiction'. (3) Results: Fifteen studies (n = 12 in adults and n = 3 in children/adolescents with Yale Food Addiction Scale defined 'food addiction') were included. Foods commonly associated with addictive eating were those high in a combination of fat and refined carbohydrates. Generally, intakes of energy, carbohydrates and fats were significantly higher in individuals with addictive eating compared to those without. (4) Conclusions: Due to the heterogeneity in study methodologies and outcomes across included studies, it is difficult to conclude if any specific foods, nutrients or dietary patterns facilitate an addictive process. Further research is needed to elucidate potential associations. However, present addictive eating treatment approaches could incorporate individualised dietary advice targeting foods high in fat and refined carbohydrates.