Durvasula, Ramani. "FAQ: The Facts About Food Addiction." FAQ: The Facts About Food Addiction. Sharecare, 14 Mar. 2014. Web. 01 May 2015.
http://www.doctoroz.com/article/faq-facts-about-food-addiction
- Food addiction can be harmful to health via weight gain and the potential impact on other markers such as cholesterol and triglyceride levels
- It can overtake a person to the point where they can be distracted from the people in their lives, their responsibilities and be more interested in thinking and talking about food than in other topics
- People with food addictions may experience withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, irritability and loss of concentration when they cut out certain foods, especially sugar
- A person with food addiction typically uses food to manage emotions
- They may also become so wedded to planning around food that they will think little of inconveniencing other people with their need to eat at certain times or at certain places
- For persons with a food addiction, food often starts as a reward and then can jump the rails with food being used to avoid a bad feeling
- Food addiction is a preoccupation with food
- The person finds themselves chronically thinking about food, worried about it, planning around it, and obviously eating it
- People with food addiction may find themselves needing to eat more to get the same emotional effects
- They will often describe craving food, and having made repeated attempts to try and beat their addiction and not being able to succeed
"Food Addiction: Causes, Symptoms, Signs & Treatment Help." Eating Disorder Hope RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2015.
http://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/food-addiction
http://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/food-addiction
- Food addicts become dependent upon the “good” feelings that are obtained from consuming certain foods, which often perpetuates a continued need to eat even when you’re not hungry
- For many individuals, food can become as addictive as drugs are to a substance abuser
- As the food addict continues to gorge upon foods that induce pleasurable feelings, they often overindulge and eat beyond what is required for satiety and normal nutrition
- Overeating can lead to several physical, emotional, and social consequences, such as digestive issues, heart disease, obesity, low-self esteem, depression, and isolation
- A person may develop a food addiction as a result of biological, psychological, or social reasons
- Some effects of a food addiction are Digestive disorders, sleep disorders (such as insomnia or oversleeping), and going out of your way to obtain certain foods
- Food addiction can also be associated with other co-occurring disorders, such as eating disorders or substance abuse
- A food addiction can result in many negative physical consequences on the body as an excess of food is consumed
- Food addiction can be debilitating to mental health
- food addiction can have an impact on your social life and relationships
"Food Addiction Signs and Treatments." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 01 May 2015.
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/eating-disorders/binge-eating-disorder/mental-health-food-addiction
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/eating-disorders/binge-eating-disorder/mental-health-food-addiction
- Highly palatable foods are foods rich in sugar, fat, and salt
- Experiments in animals and humans show that for some people, the same reward and pleasure centers of the brain that are triggered by addictive drugs like cocaine and heroin are also activated by food
- People who show signs of food addiction may also develop a tolerance to food. They eat more and more, only to find that food satisfies them less and less
- Once people experience pleasure associated with increased dopamine transmission in the brain's reward pathway from eating certain foods, they quickly feel the need to eat again
- Like people who are addicted to drugs or gambling, people who are addicted to food will have trouble stopping their behavior, even if they want to or have tried many times to cut back
- People who show signs of food addiction may also develop a tolerance to food
- Like addictive drugs, highly palatable foods trigger feel-good brain chemicals such as dopamine
- Scientists believe that food addiction may play an important role in obesity
- Once people experience pleasure associated with increased dopamine transmission in the brain's reward pathway from eating certain foods, they quickly feel the need to eat again
- People who suffer from food addictions find that they will eat more and more, only to find that food satisfies them less and less
"Children & Compulsive Overeating." - A Weigh Out. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2015.
http://aweighout.com/about-emotional-binge-eating/children-compulsive-overeating/
http://aweighout.com/about-emotional-binge-eating/children-compulsive-overeating/
- Some children who weigh-in over a healthy weight have an “Energy Imbalance”
- Food may be what the child is using to self-soothe, to regulate his or her mood, to “stuff” down feelings in an effort to feel better
- The child may be eating more than usual and still says he or she is hungry
- They eat more calories than they expend in physical activity, therefore they gain weight or maintain a weight that’s higher than healthy
- The child’s focus on food and the amount of food consumed may have increased in reaction to a vulnerable time for the child
- Their weight may reduce to a healthier range if they are taught more about healthy eating and they become more physically active
- The child often appears preoccupied with food: his or her next meal or snack
- Some overweight children may be suffering from “Emotional” or “Disordered” eating patterns
- Parents may find evidence of constant eating, sneaking or hoarding food, even immediately after meals
- The child may be using food and maladaptive eating behaviors to take care of emotional needs
"Food Addiction - A Serious Problem With a Simple Solution." Authority Nutrition. N.p., 23 Feb. 2014. Web. 01 May 2015.
http://authoritynutrition.com/how-to-overcome-food-addiction/
http://authoritynutrition.com/how-to-overcome-food-addiction/
- There is no blood test available to diagnose food addiction. Just like with other addictions, it is based on behavioral symptoms
- You frequently get cravings for certain foods, despite feeling full and having just finished a nutritious meal
- Processed junk foods have a powerful effect on the “reward” centers in the brain, involving brain neurotransmitters like dopamine
- When you give in and start eating a food you were craving, you often find yourself eating much more than you intended to
- Food addiction is, quite simply, being addicted to junk food in the same way as drug addicts are addicted to drugs
- You sometimes make excuses in your head about why you should eat something that you are craving
- You feel unable to control your consumption of unhealthy foods, despite knowing that they are causing you physical harm (includes weight gain)
- This is very similar to several other eating disorders, including binge eating disorder, bulimia, compulsive overeating and having an “unhealthy” relationship with food
- Food addicts will sometimes make excuses in their heads about why they should eat something that they are craving
- Despite their best intentions, they repeatedly find themselves eating large amounts of unhealthy foods, despite knowing that it is causing them harm