By Theresa Wright
Board member
I believe that Food Addiction exists as a substance use disorder in America today. The substances may be different for different people, but the symptoms of the addictive process are very clear – and so are the consequences. Between 60 percent and 86 percent of American adults are overweight and obese. The impact of this on our health and well-being is incredible. Many people have tried repeatedly to lose weight, and the most common results are failing to lose weight, or as much weight as desired, or losing weight and then regaining it. Few weight loss programs are reported to work and even fewer seem to work for most people long term.
I believe that obesity and eating disorders are the symptoms, the cause or the result of another problem that may not have been directly addressed by the client. He/she may not even be aware of the problem as the source of the difficulty.
Food Addiction is the uncontrollable consumption of highly palatable foods in quantities beyond necessary energy requirements. Like addictive drugs, highly palatable foods trigger chemical reactions in the brain’s “reward circuit” that induce feelings of pleasure and comfort. Food Addiction can be caused by a combination of factors including genetic predisposition, emotions associated with stress or trauma, and the addictive properties of certain foods, especially those high in sugar, fat, or salt, which can trigger pleasure centers in the brain.
People use food in many different ways, sometimes bound up in tradition and culture. Often, food is used to mask or manage the feelings or consequences of inappropriate behavior. Due to family situations, food is sometimes used as a reward or a punishment. The presence and increased use of man-made, overprocessed foods shift our appetite control mechanism to desire more calories than the body requires.
Addiction is a physical change in the body. Now the presence of certain foods or food additives causes a change in the way food is digested, absorbed, and used in the body. There are many symptoms of this; one of the most common is strong cravings – wanting more and more of the foods when your intellectual mind knows you have had enough.
Highly processed and man-made foods can cause a reward that is way more powerful than any other reward released to stimulate the brain. Ultra-processed and man-made foods stimulate the brain very powerfully and encourage the person to eat more of the unhealthy foods. This leads to certain symptoms classic for addiction: tolerance (the ability to eat much more than a reasonable portion and the desire to eat repeated portions); cravings (an irresistible and intense drive to eat the food repeatedly and in large amounts); and withdrawal.
Withdrawal has a specific set of symptoms that happen after the food is eaten; they appear in about 10 minutes and can last as long as 7 days. There is a real daily pattern, they vary from one person to another, and they are painful and uncomfortable. Withdrawal symptoms can cause other problems with medical issues, with family issues, and with one’s feelings about oneself.
The answer is a food plan — a long-term, determined change in eating behavior. It may take a number of tries until the person finds the best food plan for him/her and learns how to work with it, but a food plan that works usually has certain characteristics. First, it takes out all the foods to which the person is sensitive, addicted, emotionally attached, or allergic to, and their brothers and cousins too.
Then:
Once the client has found a good food plan, it opens the door to eating differently and to changing the structure of their lives to better match their goals.
In addition to the food plan, it is my experience that Food Addicts need regular support from other people. This could be a 12-Step program or another kind of group, such as a softball team, a tennis league, a bridge club, or a church group. Regardless of the reason for the group, it needs to have people that the Food Addict can be comfortable with. Therapy can be helpful, depending on the individual and the things about their lives they want to change or improve. A spiritual connection of any kind is a great help. We need to change our thoughts and goals, and we need the support of other wise beings. Exercise is also essential to keep the body moving and strong and it can help to resolve some feelings.
Lastly, everyone needs sufficient rest and self-care! We tend to sacrifice so much time on the wishes of others that we lose the ability to see and care for our own needs. In my experience, people overeat when they are tired or frustrated. When people get enough sleep and feel they have the space to do something for themselves that is not food related, they are much more able to follow the food plan and successfully make improvements in their lives.
Daily attention to the recovery program is necessary and will make the person feel better, stronger, and more able to handle the vicissitudes of life. This is truly transformation, and it is the goal and the blessing of the program.
Theresa Wright, MS, RD, LDN is a member of the board and the executive committee of the Food Addiction Institute. She has been treating Food Addicts and others for more than 30 years. Her first book, The Sane Food Solution, was published in 2024.
