Are you addicted

Food addiction implies that there is a biochemical condition in the body that creates a physiological craving for specific foods.

This craving,and its underlying biochemistry,is comparable to an alcoholic’s craving for alcohol (a refined carbohydrate). Just as alcohol triggers the alcoholic’s disease,there are substances that trigger a food addict’s out-of-control eating.

It suggests that specific foods,especially those which are rich in fat with sugar or salt are capable of promoting addiction-like behaviour and neural changes under certain conditions. These foods seem to affect the same addictive brain pathways that are influenced by alcohol and drugs.

Perhaps eating carelessly,loading up on high fat,high carbohydrate and salt can also trigger hormonal imbalance,mood swings and lethargy,ultimately leading to chronic food addiction and piled pounds.

These foods,although highly palatable,are not addictive per se but become addictive following prolonged restriction / bingeing. The foods could be as diverse as refined carbohydrates,processed foods,cheese,chocolates,sugars and milk proteins. Such eating behaviour has been associated with increased risk of obesity,early weight gain,depression,anxiety,and substance abuse as well as with relapses in treatment.

Relevance of food addiction may be path-breaking in the treatment of overeating and obesity,which so far have been associated with eating disorders caused from emotional problems that could be treated by psychotherapy or counselling.

While this may be true for many individuals who have used food to manage their emotions or deal with stress,the problem is more complex for the true food addict.

The key feature of any addiction is loss of control. In food addiction,loss of control is manifested by either more frequent and/or larger meals.

Although anecdotal reports are abundant,few studies have been able to document addictive properties of foods meeting rigorous scientific criteria. While some may argue that all foods are addictive,it is proposed that some foods are more addictive than others.

Recent findings suggest that it may also be the way in which foods are consumed (e.g. alternating access and restriction) rather than their sensory (taste,smell etc.) properties that leads to an addictive eating pattern. In other words,palatable foods alone are not responsible,because even non-palatable foods can come to be desired and potentially over-consumed.

In animal studies,withdrawal from high fat diets leads to neuro-chemical changes like those induced by withdrawal from drugs.

There is also convincing evidence that bingeing on sugar induces behaviour and neural changes similar to those induced by drugs.

Studies have further revealed that external stimuli like cues,good or great smelling,looking,tasting,and reinforcing food stimulate seeking that food and modifying intake similar to that of drugs of abuse.

Recognising and identifying food addiction may help treatment modalities for chronic food cravings,compulsive overeating,and binge eating that may represent a phenotype of obesity.

Screening for food addiction has the potential to identify people with eating difficulties that seriously compromise weight management efforts. Future research should include a focus on human food addiction.