"Is food addiction a valid and useful concept?" Topic

"In this paper, we consider the concept of food addiction from a clinical and neuroscientific perspective. Food addiction has an established and growing currency in the context of models of overeating and obesity, and its acceptance shapes debate and research. However, we argue that the evidence for its existence in humans is actually rather limited and, in addition, there are fundamental theoretical difficulties that require consideration.

We therefore review food addiction as a phenotypic description, one that is based on overlap between certain eating behaviours and substance dependence. To begin, we consider limitations in the general application of this concept to obesity. We share the widely held view that such a broad perspective is not sustainable and consider a more focused view: that it underlies particular eating patterns, notably binge eating. However, even with this more specific focus, there are still problems. Validation of food addiction at the neurobiological level is absolutely critical, but there are inconsistencies in the evidence from humans suggesting that caution should be exercised in accepting food addiction as a valid concept. We argue the current evidence is preliminary and suggest directions for future work that may provide more useful tests of the concept…"
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Amicalement
Armand

I'm "addicted" to well prepared food, not just food in general for the sake of just eating. I'd rather not eat than eat badly … unless I was starving and trapped on a deserted island, of course. Then, in that case, watch out! Anything's game then.

So, does that count? :)

Dan

Yes food addiction is real, I have it. I will eat when I am not hungry & do other things like that. Luckily I've been able to control it to a certain degree but it is a struggle.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Actually I've come to believe I am addicted to Carbs, by not eating pasta, breads, rice and watching what veggies and fruit I eat, I've lost 25+ pounds since February. But I find that I can at any moment easily snarf up and go for more if these thing appear on my plate. And beer is an discussion on to itself.

From Dictionary.com
Addiction: the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

By definition I think we're all addicted to food.

And yet look at what most "comfort foods" are made of. All I can say is that if there available I will eat them.

Well said!… (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

I'm on keto – down 50 lbs from my heaviest and it's been super easy. Cut the carbs and sugar.

We started that way and could not hack it, so we shift down to just greatly decreasing carbs.