The relationship between digital game addiction and food addiction in high school students

Introduction: Adolescence is known to be a period associated with an increased risk for addiction-related behaviors. Behavioral addictions such as digital gaming addiction and food addiction have the potential to occur more frequently during this developmental stage. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between digital gaming addiction, which has become an increasingly significant problem among adolescents, and food addiction, which poses an important risk factor for obesity. Materials and Methods: The study included 170 students from the 9th, 10th, and 11th grades of Bolu İzzet Baysal Anatolian High School who agreed to participate and provided parental consent. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Digital Game Addiction Scale (DGAS-7), and the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS). Results: In our study, 37.6% of the students were categorized as being at risk for digital gaming addiction. Among the items of the scale, the highest mean score was observed in the statement: "Have you ever played games to escape from daily life?" (Mean = 3.01; SD = 1.40). The most frequently preferred game genre was war and violence games (26.8%). Digital gaming addiction rates were significantly higher among males (p < 0.001), students whose mothers had higher educational levels (p < 0.01), those with eight or more hours of daily internet use (p < 0.01), those spending more time on digital games (p < 0.001), and those with lower levels of physical activity (p < 0.05). Additionally, 51.2% of the students were found to be at high risk for food addiction. Among the subscales, the highest rate was observed in "consumption of food in excessive amounts and for prolonged periods" (87.1%); chocolate/wafer was identified as the most problematic food category. Food addiction rates were significantly higher among students with medium physical activity levels (p < 0.05). In our study, participants diagnosed with digital gaming addiction had significantly higher YFAS scores (p < 0.01). Conclusion: A significant relationship was found between digital gaming addiction and food addiction in our study. These findings indicate that behavioral addictions can be observed at notable rates among adolescents who are at risk for addiction. The results also highlight the importance of considering these dynamics in efforts to combat addictive behaviors.