When Does Over-Eating Become a Food Addiction?

By Colin Gilbert

One of the most dangerous addictions plaguing American society today involves not alcohol or drugs, but food. It’s still a fairly new concept for many Americans, but studies show that millions in the United States are indeed addicted to food. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 34 percent of adults aged 20 and over are obese. Considering that most of those who are obese wish they weren’t, it seems clear that the epidemic transcends ordinary matters of self-control.

The idea of food addiction may seem strange at first, or even dubious, because of its utterly commonplace subject matter. With other addictions like alcoholism, nicotine dependence, or even Internet addiction, the source of addiction is not essential to human survival. Food, on the other hand, is of course a necessary part of life. Everyone gets hungry and eats, and most people intensely crave food from time to time. So what makes addicts different?

The main difference between food addiction and food cravings, according to the American Dietetic Association, is that run-of-the-mill cravings aren’t always fulfilled, but when addiction is present, there is no chance of resisting.

People addicted to food experience many of the same thoughts, feelings, and behaviors as those addicted to drugs or alcohol. They turn to food in times of stress or emotional pain, relying on it for comfort, satisfaction, or even a chemical high (for example, sugar releases a rush of serotonin in the brain, which yields feelings of joyful excitement). They feel guilty about their cravings, hide evidence from loved ones, and constantly obsess over food. When they start eating, they can’t stop, and they feel helpless over their habit.

Like other addicts, those who abuse food are prone to a snowball effect of increasing dependence, which can be chemical in nature. In fact, food addiction operates much like other cases of substance abuse. Junk foods containing large quantities of sugar and sodium temporarily flood the brain with a pleasurable chemical sensation, but the high is typically followed by a “come-down,” which in turn creates a craving for the initial sense of gratification.

Besides the chemical ups and downs associated with food abuse, the addiction is also typically characterized by vicious emotional and psychological cycles. Unlike some addictions, food abuse changes a person’s appearance, and weight gain can deteriorate one’s self-esteem. Socially, the outward effects of food addiction are met with humiliating negativity, which sends the addict back to the refrigerator in search of comfort.

Another common cyclical scenario involves a back-and-forth between binging and guilt. Determined to lose weight and defeat food cravings, addicts often resolve to follow strict diets. However, they typically find themselves hungrier than ever and, before long, binging on all the foods they vowed to leave behind. Subsequent feelings of failure inspire future diets, and the cycle repeats.

The roots of food addiction are often emotional in nature and can be traced back to childhood. Kids who eat to feel better or escape stress are on the wrong track, forming unhealthy ideas about food’s purpose. They may identify the fat on their bodies as a protective layer of emotional insulation, and when they carry such mistaken notions into adulthood, they’re on the road to addiction.

The consequences of food abuse are abundant. Physically, the most obvious threat is the host of health risks associated with obesity. Diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, to name just a few related conditions, are ubiquitous among the obese. In addition to the physical threats, countless social ramifications stem from food addiction. In every arena of social life—from dating to finding a job—overweight individuals experience prejudice, and the inevitable feelings of loneliness and inferiority that ensue only prolong the problem.

Food addiction is a serious crisis in American culture yet it is too often overlooked, misunderstood, or mishandled. Those who compulsively over-eat should receive the same compassion and support as any other addict. With appropriate medical guidance, nutritional expertise, and community support, the food addict can conquer their cravings and adopt a healthy lifestyle.