A Conversation About Food Addiction

Question 2: “How can you be addicted to something you need to survive? What's next, air addiction?”

Question 3: "How does Food Addiction differ from other disordered eating?"

There is a significant degree of overlap between Food Addiction and eating disorders; you don't have only one or only the other. But Food Addicts have a biochemical sensitivity to some substances that other disordered eaters don't.

Question 4: "What are trigger foods?"

Though some substances, such as refined sugar, are cited by many Food Addicts, the fact is that trigger foods vary from person to person. By seeking treatment and/or finding community with others who have self-identified as having Food Addiction, they can begin to explore what their own trigger foods might be.

Question 5: "What do I do, once I've identified a trigger food of mine?"

Abstain from it. Many in the world of nutrition advocate for moderation, and that can work for many people. But those with Food Addiction find they are happier when they are free from their triggers — even if they still think those foods taste good.

Question 6: "So, I just cut out my trigger foods, and all is good?"

Well, perhaps, for some. Many with Food Addiction have emotional and spiritual deficits that intertwine with how, when, and what they eat. By addressing those — by engaging in communities of others who can relate to their struggles, by working with professionals, or through other means — they are much better prepared to make sane and healthy food choices, no matter the moment's circumstances.

Question 7: “Is ‘Food Addiction’ even a thing anymore? I've heard they're now calling it ‘ultra-processed Food Addiction,’ or even ‘ultra-processed food use disorder.’"

There's the condition, and there's what the condition is called. These name changes are connected to efforts - that we endorse completely! - to have the condition recognized in the diagnostic manuals of the American Psychiatric Association and the World Health Organization so that, among other effects, Food Addiction treatment will be reimbursable by insurance. The Food Addiction Institute believes that ultra-processed foods play a very strong role in Food Addiction, but that Food Addiction is not limited to ultra-processed food.

Question 8: "How about the new drugs that are said to combat overeating?"

Science does not yet know the effects of long-term exposure and other details, but they certainly seem to be helping a great many people. Such medications are akin to bariatric surgery in that they address physical manifestations of overeating. But what is driving people who qualify for such medical interventions, and can physical interventions address those factors? Many addicts find relief by also addressing the emotional, mental, and spiritual factors that drove them. Practicing abstinence reinforces those efforts, and those efforts reinforce abstinence.

Question 9: "Anyone can talk. Does science have anything to say about this?"

Yes! Go here and read the ever-growing collection of peer-reviewed articles. Research shows that some foods and food-like substances light up the same areas of the brain that cocaine, alcohol, and other substances and behaviors do.

Question 10: “Come on. Those are real drugs. No one ever robbed the corner store for money so they could score with their Twinkies dealer, and no one ever got pulled over for driving while eating.”

That's true. Addictive substances affect addicts in different intensities, and drive addicts to different behaviors. But one need only look to the World Health Organization — for statistics on how fast obesity is increasing in all populations, or how those with obesity die sooner on average than those without it — to know that the effects on Food Addicts are substantial enough.

Question 11: "Are you saying that all obesity is explained by Food Addiction?"

Excellent question! And, absolutely not. Disordered eating arises from many causes. What raises Food Addiction to the level of substance-use disorder is the biochemistry involved in trigger foods. Taking treatment for Food Addiction will likely help anyone who suffers from disordered eating, but is a must for those who experience the phenomenon of craving.

Question 12: "Why does it matter that 'Food Addiction is real?'"

hen a food-use disorder is recognized, treatment for it will be reimbursable by insurance. Food Addiction treatment has existed for decades and helped thousands, but it has remained out of the financial reach of most people, and placed a heavy financial burden on the rest.

Question 13: "What are the behaviors of people who have Food Addiction?"

People are individuals, and it's almost impossbile to craft a complete list. But here are three to start: Getting a food one craves, no matter the time of day or night; grazing (eating/snacking all day long); and volume eating, which may be bingeing for more than two hours.