Confronting Food Addiction

Our brain is wired to reward us when we do something good for ourselves. Thus, things that are healthy for us can become “addictive” in a sense, in the way exercising elates you with a surge of endorphins. Unfortunately, this reward property can be hijacked and get out of control in our modern society. Just as drugs can trick the brain into releasing a surge of feel-good chemicals that cause addiction, the “reward” that you feel from eating a good meal also has the potential to lead to dependence.

What is Food Addiction?

Food addiction is the idea that neurological and emotional responses can lead to an addictive, harmful cycle of eating, similar to any other type of drug addiction. On the level of the brain, the idea that food can be addictive is supported by several animal studies. Mice fed a high-sugar diet over a period of time progressively craved higher and higher amounts of sugar. They developed a tolerance for sugar, just as an alcoholic or drug user would to their drug of choice. Eating releases dopamine and other opiate “feel good” chemicals in the brain, so there is a neurological basis for why eaters might crave more and more food over time.

How can you know if your eating patterns might represent an addiction or not? Look at these seven criteria for dependence, which scientists and doctors use to diagnose addiction. If you recognize three or more of these traits in your own eating habits, you may have an eating problem.

Tolerance: Needing higher and higher amounts of the same substance to be sated.
Withdrawal: After some amount of time without the substance, users experience physical or emotional feelings of discomfort.
Overuse: You unintentionally eat more over a longer period of time than you intended.
Desire to stop: You feel that your eating habits aren’t healthy, and have unsuccessfully tried to cut back on your eating.
Time: You spend a lot of time buying food and thinking about when you will be able to eat next.
Giving up other activities: You forego chances to spend time with family, friends, or do other activities you like, in order to eat.
Recognizing the problem: Despite recognizing that your eating is causing you physical or psychological harm, you continue your current habits.

What Types of Food Cause Addiction?

Since many processed foods contain dozens of ingredients, it is difficult to do scientific studies to determine exactly which substances cause changes in brain chemistry. Currently sugar and high-fat foods are the only ones that have been tested in animals and have been shown to have addictive properties. It is likely that psychological as well as physiological factors contribute to food addiction.

What Can I Do to Recover?

People who think they may have an eating disorder or eating addiction have several options open to them. The first is to see a physician, who can refer you to a nutritional specialist and psychologists specializing in eating issues. A physician can also help you make an eating plan that can help you avoid foods that are likely leading to your addiction.

Another option open to those facing food addiction is to change your environment and to become more conscientious of you eating patterns. Keep a daily food journal, noting everything you eat and the time of day. Noticing patterns in your own eating can help you pinpoint problem foods or occurrences that trigger overeating. Ridding your kitchen of most processed, high sugar, and high fat foods is a good start, since these have been shown in studies to produce addictive behavior. Focus your diet on a combination of fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, and lean meat. Do not starve yourself or make yourself feel deprived. Make changes in your diet gradually, but with resolve, and you are more likely to stick to them.

Another good idea for anyone with an eating addiction is to seek help and support, in the form of self-help groups. Overeaters Anonymous is a great place to start.

More Information:

Sources:

Food Addiction. (2009) Ashley N. Gearhardt, William R. Corbin, and Kelly D. Brownwell. American Society of Addiction Medicine.