Labeling some foods as potentially 'addictive' could help people change their diets, scientists say
Estimates show that one in seven adults and one in eight children could be "addicted" to industrially highly processed food (UPF), writes N1.
The researchers said that the way some people consume foods high in fat and carbohydrates may "meet the criteria for a diagnosis of an addictive disorder."
Behaviors that meet that criterion include, among other things, intense cravings, withdrawal symptoms, less control over intake, and continued use despite consequences such as obesity, binge eating disorder, poorer physical and mental health, and lower quality of life, according to the researchers.
A team of international researchers points to a meta-analysis of 281 studies from 36 different countries.
It shows that "addiction to ultra-processed food" occurs in 14 percent of adults and 12 percent of children.
Labeling some high-carbohydrate and high-fat foods as "addictive" could potentially improve health through changes in social and clinical policies, scientists say.
"There is converging and consistent support for the validity and clinical relevance of food addiction," said Ashley Gerhart, author of the paper and professor of psychology at the University of Michigan in the US.
She added that "by recognizing the fact that certain types of processed foods have addictive properties, we could help improve global health."
It would also encourage more research in those areas, the authors note.
Ultra-processed foods are everywhere, and the health risks are greater than one might think
"Given how widespread these foods are, they make up 58 percent of the calories consumed in the US, there's so much we don't know," said co-author Alexandra DiFeliciaantonio, an assistant professor at the Fralin Institute for Biomedical Research. in the USA.
The authors of the paper, published in "The BMJ", gave the example of serving salmon and a chocolate bar - salmon has a ratio of carbohydrates to fat of approximately zero to one. In contrast, a chocolate bar has a one-to-one ratio of carbohydrates to fat, which appears to increase the food's addictive potential.
"Many ultra-processed foods have higher levels of both. That combination has a different effect on the brain," DiFeliceantonio added.
Researchers from the US, Brazil and Spain point out that "refined carbohydrates or fats induce similar levels of extracellular dopamine in the brain's striatum to those seen with addictive substances such as nicotine and alcohol".
"Based on these behavioral and biological parallels, foods that contain high levels of refined carbohydrates or added fat are strong candidates for addiction," they add.
Food additives can also contribute to the creation of "highly processed food addiction", they said.
While additives, added to foods for flavor and "mouthfeel enhancement," are unlikely to be addictive themselves, they could "become powerful amplifiers of caloric effects in the gut," they wrote.
However, scientists emphasize that not every food has the potential to create addiction.
"Although further careful research is needed to determine the exact mechanism by which these foods are addictive, UPFs high in refined carbohydrates and fats are clearly seen in addictive patterns and lead to adverse health outcomes," the researchers conclude.
They also add that "ultra-processed foods high in refined carbohydrates and added fat are appealing and compulsively consumed and can be addictive."
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