When Food Behaves Like a Drug: Rethinking Overeating Through the Food Addiction Lens.

Highly processed foods activate the brain’s reward system, making cravings stronger and harder to manage.

Q1. What is food addiction?

Some people eat certain foods especially highly processed, high-calorie foods in a way that looks similar to addiction. Research shows cravings, loss of control, and continuing to eat despite harm match criteria used in the DSM-5 for substance use disorders (1). Without recognising these signs, people may continue overeating and develop long-term health issues. Only some individuals show true addiction-like patterns, but identifying them early can help. Tools like the Yale Food Addiction Scale help spot these patterns (6). Understanding this can help you take back control. Support is available through evidence-based guidance.

2. Why are junk foods so hard to resist?

Foods high in sugar, fat, and salt activate dopamine pathways in the brain similar to how addictive drugs act (2,3). This makes them extremely rewarding. These foods can lead to compulsive overeating, weight gain, and other health issues (4,5). Knowing how the brain reacts helps explain why some foods feel “irresistible” and supports developing healthier strategies. With the right tools, you can learn to manage cravings and change your eating habits.

3. How do experts measure food addiction?

The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) was created to apply addiction criteria to eating. People meet "food addiction" criteria if they have at least three symptoms plus functional problems (6).

Studies show that up to 20% of adults may meet these criteria, especially people experiencing obesity or binge-eating disorder (7). But diagnosis is challenging because symptoms overlap with established eating disorders (8). Understanding the overlap avoids misdiagnosis and helps people get the right kind of treatment. Recognising patterns early supports better long-term outcomes.

4. Is food addiction the same as binge eating or emotional eating?

Food addiction and binge eating share many symptoms like loss of control and overeating which makes diagnosis confusing (8). This may cause normal eating patterns to be mislabelled, or important eating disorder diagnoses to be missed (9). Experts emphasise careful assessment to avoid over-pathologising eating behaviours and to ensure correct treatment. A supportive clinical approach helps individuals understand their specific patterns and choose appropriate treatment.

5. What treatments work for food addiction?

New research explores treatments like cognitive tasks that train people to inhibit their responses to tempting foods and neuromodulation (brain stimulation) targeting reward areas (1). Evidence is still developing, and some treatments lack long-term data (10,11). The strongest evidence currently supports behavioural and psychological therapies especially cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for binge-eating disorder (12). A mix of proven approaches + emerging tools offers hope for improving eating control.

6. How common is food addiction?

Global data suggests about 14% of adults and 12% of children may meet food addiction criteria, especially where ultra-processed foods dominate diets (13). These numbers show it’s not a rare issue and often not the person’s fault, but a mix of biology and environment. Public health strategies like warning labels or restrictions on marketing may help reduce harm (14). Understanding that overeating isn't just about willpower empowers people to seek support without shame.

7. Is food addiction a real health condition?

Some experts warn against using the term too broadly, saying it may oversimplify complex eating behaviours driven by emotions and environment (9). Over-labelling may stigmatise people or lead them away from effective treatments. Others argue the concept validates real experiences and opens new treatment directions (2,5). The most balanced view is that food addiction is real for some, but not all, and should be used carefully.

References

1. Adams RC, Sedgmond J, Maizey L, Chambers CD, Lawrence NS. Food Addiction: Implications for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Overeating. Nutrients. 2019;11(9):2086.

2. Volkow ND, Wise RA, Baler R. The dopamine motive system: implications for drug and food addiction. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2017;18(12):741-752.

3. Kenny PJ. Reward mechanisms in obesity: new insights and future directions. Neuron. 2011;69(4):664-679.

4. Pursey KR, Stanwell P, Gearhardt AN, Collins CE, Burrows TL. The prevalence of food addiction as assessed by the Yale Food Addiction Scale: a systematic review. Nutrients. 2014;6(10):4552-4590.

5. Gearhardt AN, Corbin WR, Brownell KD. Food addiction: an examination of the diagnostic criteria for dependence. J Addict Med. 2009;3(1):1-7.

6. Gearhardt AN, Corbin WR, Brownell KD. Development of the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Psychol Addict Behav. 2009;23(2):193-205.

7. Meule A, Gearhardt AN. Ten years of the Yale Food Addiction Scale: a review of version 2.0. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2019;236(1):1-12.

8. Davis C. Compulsive overeating as an addictive behaviour: overlap between food addiction and binge eating disorder. Curr Obes Rep. 2013;2(2):171-178.

9. Hebebrand J, Albayrak Ö, Adan R, et al. “Eating addiction”, rather than “food addiction”, better captures addictive-like eating behaviour. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2014;47:295-306.

10. Leary M, Pursey KM, Verdejo-Garcia A, Burrows TL. Current intervention treatments for food addiction: a systematic review. Behav Sci (Basel). 2021;11(6):80. doi:10.3390/bs11060080.

11. Schulte EM, Potenza MN, Gearhardt AN. A commentary on the “eating addiction” versus “food addiction” perspectives on addictive-like food consumption. Appetite. 2017;115:9-15.

12. Fairburn CG. Cognitive behavior therapy and eating disorders. Guilford Press; 2008.

13. Pivarunas B, Conner BT. Impulsivity and emotion dysregulation as predictors of food addiction. Eat Behav. 2015;19:9-14.

14. Gearhardt AN, White MA, Potenza MN. Binge eating disorder and food addiction. Curr Drug Abuse Rev. 2011;4(3):201-207.