Exploring the Definition and Characteristics of Food Addiction

I want to explore the complicated topic of food addiction with you today. Not only is this topic complicated in the ways it can affect individuals, but even in the debate in the research and medical communities regarding the diagnosis or “label” of food addiction itself. Allow me to briefly sum up that all mental health diagnoses are supposed to be found within a book the American Psychiatric Association publishes called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, in its fifth edition with a text revision (DSM-V-TR), most recently published in 2022. 

Within the DSM-V-TR, there are not any diagnoses of “addiction”; instead, for example, “opioid use disorder.” All this is to say that within the DSM-V-TR, there is no specific label regarding “food addiction.” The DSM-V-TR contains some diagnoses regarding food intake or avoiding food intake, including “anorexia nervosa,” “bulimia nervosa,” and “binge eating disorder.” But many times, when individuals describe their symptoms of what they perceive as their own “food addiction,” it would fall under “other specified” or “unspecified” “feeding or eating disorder.” For this reason, some medical providers still debate if “food addiction” is an actual disorder at all. 

Identifying the Signs: Recognizing the Emotional and Behavioral Patterns

Let’s dive a bit deeper into what we mean when talking about “food addiction.” This is not the “every once in a while” I overate at a holiday or had too much of a special treat. We are discussing addictive behavior patterns applied to food, cravings, loss of control over the times and amounts eaten, and continuing eating patterns, even if there are negative consequences. You may find you hide your food supply and intake from others. You may avoid activities or situations because certain foods would be there. You may experience withdrawal symptoms if you cut down or stop eating certain foods including anxiety or agitation. You may find that you eat certain foods or quantities of food due to feeling sad or stressed, but your food consumption may then cause increased depression, anxiety, guilt, or feelings of self-loathing. You may want to or have tried to cut down or stop eating certain kinds of food and not be able to do so. 

It is essential to understand that most people are addicted to sugar or calorie-dense food(s). These types of “engineered” foods, like pizza, chocolate, and potato chips, which have very processed ingredients, cause our brain's reward center to release chemicals like dopamine in much the same way that other addictive substances, like cocaine, stimulate these same pleasure receptors. 

Or a particular food may have a positive memory associated with it; for example, they were always given a cupcake when they were “good” as a child as a reward. Our brains can take a highly complex system and turn it into a simple equation: sadness/anxiety equals motivation to feel better, which equals food. The reward center releases hormones, and you temporarily feel better…..until the cycle repeats itself, requiring more and more to achieve the same effect.

The Psychological Link: Trauma and Mental Health Correlations

Studies have shown that individuals who have experienced trauma at any time during their lives and have a mental health diagnosis are at much greater risk of experiencing food addiction than individuals in the general population without a mental health diagnosis. The mental health diagnoses that seem to correlate most strongly with food addiction are depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. 

Seeking Support: Taking the First Step Towards Recovery

If you believe you may have an issue with food addiction, you will need the support of your healthcare team to develop a plan of care that is right for you. The first step may be to read and answer the questions on the “modified Yale Food Addiction Scale, version 2.0" or mYFAS 2.0. This is an assessment tool that healthcare professionals use when treating food addiction. You can print this out, take it to your appointment, and discuss your results with your healthcare provider.

Exploring Treatment Options: A Multidisciplinary Approach

If you do have a food addiction, then there are a variety of treatment options available, and these should be discussed with your healthcare provider to determine which will be the best option(s) for you. Firstly, do not think you have to do this alone; there are professionals and resources to help you. As with any addiction, most health professionals agree that treatment should involve what is called a “multidisciplinary approach.” This means that treatment may include medication(s), therapy to help identify triggers as well, and coping tools to use when cravings occur. 

Lifestyle changes will usually need to be made, and these can be discussed with various individuals, including your therapist, dietitian, healthcare provider, or others in your support network. Some examples of lifestyle changes that may need to occur include developing a strategy to replace the food addiction/eating behavior with new/different positive activities, learning and practicing stress-management techniques, learning and giving yourself grace and forgiveness if you do overeat to not give up in overcoming your food addiction.

Building a Path Forward: Support Groups and Community Resources

Multiple support groups are available for people who identify as having food addictions. They are similar in name but slightly different in how they operate and what they offer. They all have an online presence; most provide online support groups and in-person meetings. I recommend looking at their websites and finding a group supporting your recovery journey.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous Per their website, this is a program based on the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. There are no dues, fees, or weigh-ins. It is a “fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience and mutual support, are recovering from the disease of food addiction.”

Food Addicts Anonymous This organization focuses on food addiction being a disease, not a moral or character failing that can be cured through willpower alone. They follow a twelve-step program, including eliminating addictive foods and eating nutritious foods.

Overeaters Anonymous This group is broader in its scope than just food addiction. It includes individuals with any compulsive eating or food behaviors or anyone who feels they have a problem with food. They still follow a twelve-step program similar to the other organizations mentioned.

As I previously mentioned, having a healthcare provider who is familiar with treating food addiction and eating disorders is essential. However, it may be challenging to locate someone with experience. The National Eating Disorders Association has a database of practitioners familiar with treating eating disorders. A reminder: reflect on the first paragraph of this article; there is no formal diagnosis in medicine for “food addiction.” If a healthcare provider’s biography states they treat “OSFED” or “UFED,” this stands for “Other Specified” or “Unspecified”-“Feeding or Eating Disorder,” which is where food addiction is generally captured as a diagnosis. 

Embracing Recovery and Moving Forward

I hope this article has clarified the concept of food addiction for you. If you have questioned whether food addiction may be an issue you are struggling with, I hope you are now clearer on whether this is an issue for you or not. And if you are struggling with food addiction, I hope you now realize that many other individuals also struggle with food addiction and disordered eating. 

It is possible to recover from food addiction and have a healthy and happy relationship with food again. I mentioned that many groups use a twelve-step model in their support programs, and there is an “unofficial” concept of step zero, letting go of denial and admitting the need for help. With help from your healthcare team and your commitment to change, you can become the healthier and happier version of yourself you want.

1. _{American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR®) (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.}
2. _{Brunault P, Ballon N. Inter-Individual Differences in Food Addiction and Other Forms of Addictive-Like Eating Behavior. Nutrients. 2021; 13(2):325.}
3. _{Burrows, T., Kay-Lambkin, F., Pursey, K., Skinner, J., & Dayas, C. (2018). Food addiction and associations with mental health symptoms: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association, 31(4), 544–572.}
4. _{Jacques-Tiura, A. J., Lanni, D. J., Anderson, L. A., & Naar, S. (2021). Victimization and Food Addiction Symptoms: Direct and Indirect Effects through Emotion Dysregulation, Impulsivity, and Loss-of-Control Eating. Psychology of women quarterly, 45(2), 243–254.}
5. _{University of Michigan (2024, January 1). Yale Food Addiction Scale. Food and Addiction Science & Treatment Lab. Retrieved May 4, 2024.}