Addictions
March 14, 2023
TLDR: Food Addiction - 12 Myths Debunked
This article addresses common misconceptions about food addiction. Key points include:
The existence and validity of food addiction as a concept
The nature of food addiction compared to other substance addictions
Approaches to food addiction recovery
Key takeaways:
Food addiction is a real phenomenon, supported by scientific research
Ultra-processed food addiction is more similar to nicotine or caffeine addiction than hard drugs
Food addiction recovery is not necessarily about weight loss or extreme dieting
Minimally processed foods are generally not addictive
Wise Mind Nutrition's stance:
Acknowledges the complexity of food addiction and its relationship to eating disorders
Promotes a balanced, individualized approach to food addiction recovery
Emphasizes the importance of addressing underlying stress, trauma, and emotional pain
Supports multiple paths to recovery, not just 12-step programs
Encourages a positive outlook on the possibility of changing one's relationship with food
The article concludes by inviting those struggling with addiction-like eating to seek help in understanding their relationship with food. It emphasizes Wise Mind Nutrition's approach to helping individuals stop yo-yo dieting and develop a healthier relationship with food.
[Read full article for detailed explanations of each myth, scientific background, and comprehensive references to studies on food addiction]
Food Addiction Popular Myths Debunked
There are a lot of myths that plague the food addiction space. To clarify, a “myth” does not mean that something is never true, it just means that it is not always true. There are a lot of assumptions about food addiction that need to be challenged and better understood. Are you here for it?
The 12 truths and myths listed below come from my extensive experience doing research on ultra-processed food addiction and being clinically helpful to individuals who believe themselves to be addicted to food. These myths both challenge the culture of food addiction recovery and the “food addiction” naysayers. Yes, there are a lot of people who insist that food addiction doesn’t exist. Learn more about these controversies here.
Myth #1: Food addiction doesn’t exist.
This argument is used by individuals who don’t understand the neurobiology of addiction and believe that all people should be able to moderate their use of all substances if they just try enough. This is the same argument that was once used for alcohol, cocaine, and nicotine. It invalidates people’s lived experiences [1] and stresses personal responsibility rather than corporate responsibility.
Myth #2: Food addiction measurement is pseudoscience and not valid.
The instrument used to capture addiction-like eating is called the Yale Food Addiction Scale [2–4] and has been validated at the highest level of scientific inquiry, in multiple countries across the world, and updated to reflect changes in diagnostic for substance use disorders in the DSM-5. It has undergone rigorous peer review.
Myth #3: Food can be as addictive as heroin or cocaine.
This hit the headlines a few years ago based on animal studies. In humans, ultra-processed food addiction is much more like nicotine or caffeine addiction [5], sometimes it is so subtle that the person doesn’t even realize they have it or would prefer not to admit it.
Myth #4: Food addiction science doesn’t account for restrictive eating patterns.
While the instrument itself doesn’t measure dietary restraint, studies have documented the presence of addiction-like eating after considering other contributors to eating pathology [6,7]. While some people develop food addiction symptoms from too much dieting, there are many others who have never imposed restrictive eating patterns.
Myth #5: Food addiction recovery is a weight loss journey.
While many people that seek recovery from food addiction end up losing weight, recovering from food addiction is not the same thing as losing weight. In fact, too much emphasis on weight loss gives food addiction a reputation for perpetuating diet culture. Recovery is about sanity, not vanity.
Myth #6: If someone has a food addiction, they need to be on a low-carb diet to recover.
For some people with ultra-processed food addiction, going too low in carbs can make the symptoms worse. People often do this to lose weight, which is not the same thing as food addiction recovery. Meanwhile, many people with addiction-like eating do benefit from a lower-carb approach [8].
Myth #7: If someone has a food addiction, they need to weigh and measure their food.
The key to food addiction recovery is not eating less, but rather eating more of the foods that will help restore gut homeostasis and balance out brain chemistry. One can recover from addiction-like eating and learn how to listen to their body at the same time. This is called recovery.
Myth #8: Food addiction culture is the same as diet culture.
This may seem true at first glance, but for people who actually have addiction-like eating, many are fighting for their sanity and are willing to go to great extremes for a different life. If someone chooses to opt out of commercialized eating, that is not the same thing as perpetuating diet culture.
Myth #9: Minimally processed foods such as fruit, quinoa, or nuts can be addictive.
There is no evidence that plain food can be addictive [9]. While some people report loss of control around specific fruits or grains or even nuts, these foods do not light up the brain the way that ultra-processed foods do.
Myth #10: Food addiction should be classified as a behavioral disorder because it’s not about the food.
For many people, eating challenges are not about food. For others, it is absolutely about the food [10]. Everyone has their own unique neurochemistry and therefore responds differently to various substances. Some people have brain chemistry that is susceptible to addiction, and others do not.
Myth #11: If someone has a food addiction, they need to be in a 12-Step program.
While I’m a fan of 12-Step Recovery, it’s not the only path for people who struggle with addiction-like eating. In fact, many times these programs emphasize overly restrictive diets with the goal of weight loss which can lead to binge eating and weight cycling [11]. 12-Step is great if you work the program and utilize the social support, but not if you use it as a diet club.
Myth #12: Once someone develops a food addiction, they will always be addicted to food.
Many people develop addictions because of underlying stress, trauma, adversity, and unresolved emotional pain [12]. Once someone does some deep healing work, often for many years, their relationship with food can change. It’s so important to think positively.
Wise Mind Nutrition
Have you struggled with addiction-like eating? Are you not sure if it is an actual food addiction or symptoms related to an eating disorder? Are you curious about your relationship with sugar? We can help you figure that out, stop the yo-yo dieting and step into a new chapter with grace! Feel free to contact us.
References
1. Lacroix E, Ranson KM von. Lived Experience and Defining Addictive-Like Eating: a Synthesis of Qualitative Research. Curr Addict Reports. 2020;7(4):437-445. doi:10.1007/s40429-020-00343-7
2. Schulte EM, Gearhardt AN. Development of the Modified Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0. European Eating Disorders Review. 2017;25(4). doi:10.1002/erv.2515
3. Gearhardt A, Corbin W, Brownell K. Development of the Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. 2016;30(1). doi:10.1037/adb0000136
4. Gearhardt A, Corbin W, Brownell K. Preliminary validation of the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Appetite. 2009;52(2). doi:10.1016/j.appet.2008.12.003
5. Wiss DA, Avena N, Rada P. Sugar Addiction: From Evolution to Revolution. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2018;9:545. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00545
6. Wiss DA, Avena NM. Food Addiction, Binge Eating, and the Role of Dietary Restraint: Converging Evidence from Animal and Human Studies. In: Frank KW, Berner LA, eds. Springer Nature; 2020:193-209. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-43562-2_14
7. Wiss D, Brewerton T. Separating the Signal from the Noise: How Psychiatric Diagnoses Can Help Discern Food Addiction from Dietary Restraint. Nutrients. 2020;12(10):2937. doi:10.3390/nu12102937
8. Unwin J, Delon C, Giæver H, et al. Low carbohydrate and psychoeducational programs show promise for the treatment of ultra-processed food addiction. Frontiers Psychiatry. 2022;13:1005523. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1005523
9. Schulte EM, Avena NM, Gearhardt AN. Which foods may be addictive? The roles of processing, fat content, and glycemic load. Plos One. 2015;10(2):e0117959. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0117959
10. Wiss DA, Brewerton TD. Incorporating food addiction into disordered eating: the disordered eating food addiction nutrition guide (DEFANG). Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity. 2017;22(1):49-59. doi:10.1007/s40519-016-0344-y
11. Bray B, Rodríguez-Martín BC, Wiss DA, Bray CE, Zwickey H. Overeaters Anonymous: An Overlooked Intervention for Binge Eating Disorder. Int J Environ Res Pu. 2021;18(14):7303. doi:10.3390/ijerph18147303
12. Wiss DA, Avena N, Gold M. Food Addiction and Psychosocial Adversity: Biological Embedding, Contextual Factors, and Public Health Implications. Nutrients. 2020;12(11):3521. doi:10.3390/nu12113521
