buse.
Furthermore, as time passes, on a diet rich in trans-fats, the effects of dopamine on the brain are reduced and thus, more and more fats are necessary for the same effect.
So, examples of foods, rich in saturated fats include:-
- processed meats such as sausages and bacon.
What about the Combination of Addictive Factors in Food?
Having discussed, with scientific evidence, the main types of foods that promote addictive style eating, it is clear that a lot of processed, or fast food contains most, if not all of the main culprits.
This surely means if somebody has addictive behaviour towards highly palatable or refined carbs, the chances are the food they choose and are struggling with, are also high in sugar, salt and processed fats too.
According to (a small) 2015 study 17 not all foods are equally addictive. Furthermore, there is not enough reliable data to identify which particular foods, or a combination of qualities, lead to addictive-type eating.
However, the study does indicate that highly processed foods share qualities such as rapid rate of absorption and concentrated doses of fat, high glycemic index carbohydrates and/or sugar that lead to addictive style eating.
This study concludes that the predictive factors for addictive eating, in order of importance, are as follows:-
- Processing: The higher processed the foods are, the more addictive
- The glycemic load of certain foods (measured by the spike in blood sugar levels) after consumption
- The amount of saturated fat in foods
The Behavioral Aspects of Food Addiction
The Yale Food Addiction Scale
The most acceptable method to determine food addiction is the 2009 Yale Food Addiction Scale.
This is a 25 question survey, that assesses how a person’s thoughts regarding food can assess addiction levels.
Similar to other drug and alcohol addictions, the questions assess a person’s preoccupation and control over their eating habits.
The questions are rated on a 5 point scale of frequency from ‘never’ to ‘daily’. A few examples include:-
I find that when I start eating certain foods, I end up eating much more than planned.
I find myself continuing to consume certain foods even though I am no longer hungry.
Not eating certain types of food or cutting down on certain types of food is something I worry about
I have found that I have elevated desire for or urges to consume certain foods when I cut down or stop eating them.
According to Psychology Today, another important factor of food addiction is tolerance to certain foods. This lead to craving more and more of the food for the same ‘hit’.
Furthermore, withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety or obsessive thoughts, when the problem foods are not available is another warning sign of addiction.
Arguments against the Food Addiction Theory
Although there is a lot of emerging research supporting the idea of food addiction, there is also a lot of opposition to this idea.
Most medical studies agree that there are neurological similarities to food and drugs in both rats and humans.
However, several research studies claim that there is not enough research on humans. Furthermore, it appears that only a subsection of individuals are prone to addictive type eating (around 5% to 10% of the US population).
The main objection to the food addiction theory is that it is not actually the food, in and of itself, that is addictive. Many specialists argue that this is also the case even with highly palatable foods.
One study 18 suggests that periodic gorging of certain foods followed by restriction of that food leads to addictive-like behavior.
So, this would be the case, for example, for all those who periodically do a very-low carb diet and then resume their normal eating patterns.
Additional 2014 research 19 concludes that the actual term ‘food addiction’ needs to be reassessed because it implies there is a substance-based behavior and the available evidence at the moment is poor.
Indeed, the above study suggests that the term ‘eating addiction‘ is more appropriate.
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