One of the hardest things in any weight management journey is understanding and addressing our relationship with food. More than just a survival need, food has made its way into our lives with many new and different roles. It’s part of our social lives, it entertains us and for some, it’s even a way to cope with the outside world.
Unfortunately, relationships with food can evolve into deep attachments. These relationships can be costly, and not just for our pockets! Many are studying what’s called “food addiction”, and it’s being compared to other addictions such as sex or drugs. In this 3-part blog series, we’re giving you the research on food addiction and what you should know if you’re struggling to manage it.
Food addiction: What is it and How Does it Work?
When we’re addicted to food, we’re caught in the cycle of “binge, withdrawal, crave, repeat”, and getting out of it is hard! First we eat food, and then our brain releases dopamine – thus making us happier. Before we know it, our bodies crave even more of this food just to get the same effect. This is food addiction in a nutshell.
Here are some key facts:
- Certain foods encourage addiction – The farther food gets away from nature, the more processing it undergoes before it’s ready for purchase. The more we revise and process foods, the more addictive a food can become.
- Our brains react to food the same way they react to other addictions – Just like with sex, drugs, music or shopping, our brains react to food by creating a “high” when dopamine is released. The same pathways in the brain light up, reacting to our body’s reward system.
- Hedonic eating reinforces addiction – When we practice hedonic eating, we’re eating because we want to. We may be bored, stressed, hungry or looking for a way to connect with friends or family, and we let food fulfill those needs. Caloric eating is when we eat because it’s necessary to survive. Hedonic eating, rather than caloric eating, drives the likelihood of addiction by releasing growing amounts of dopamine and training our brain to perceive food as a reward.
How Has Food Evolved to Become Addictive?
Food certainly hasn’t always had this effect on us. Throughout time, many factors have contributed to the rise of addictive foods and “food culture.”
- Portion sizes are bigger – The sizes of the foods we’ve been eating have grown throughout the years, thus linking to an increase in body weight. Consider a standard fast food burger. Once small, these fast-food staples have evolved into quarter-pounders and “Mcdoubles.”
- Food acquisition is easier than it used to be – In older times, we had to hunt and gather food in order to eat it. Then, restaurants and grocery stories arrived but were limited and spaced apart. Now, most of us can step out and find any kind of food within close distance. Our environments have changed, so our bodies have become accustomed to the availability. This is laying the foundation for addiction.
- Food has more sugar and other addictive ingredients – The basics ingredients in our food have changed, from increased amounts of sugar to higher levels of sodium, fat, and carbohydrates. You see this with most processed foods.
Want to Learn More about Food Addiction?
To learn more research and information on food addiction, stay tuned for the upcoming posts in this latest blog series!
You can also watch the full presentation by Dr. Nicole Avena, PhD, from the 2013 Your Weight Matters National Convention as she addresses food addiction and its behavioral components from a scientific standpoint. To watch the full presentation, click here.
Do you have questions? Ask us in the comments below!
