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Good Day Kimberly,
Learn why addictive eating patterns are more common than you think—and who’s most at risk.
This week, I’m stepping away from substance use to talk about another kind of addiction—one that’s more socially acceptable but surprisingly powerful: food addiction.
With the rise of ultra-processed foods, more and more people find themselves battling cravings that hijack the brain in much the same way drugs and alcohol do. There are no laws against eating, and these foods are everywhere.
I’ve never personally struggled with substance use, but I can definitely relate when it comes to food. Sometimes, a part of my brain just won’t stop until I’ve eaten something that “quenches” the drive. For me, it’s often during times of stress that the urge intensifies—like my way of getting out of a funk with a temporary dopamine hit from something sweet, salty, or fatty (or all three). For some, this compulsion leads to seeking out food or drink even when they’re not truly hungry.
How Food Became Engineered to Hook Us
Back in the 1980s, when the tobacco industry faced public accountability for the harms of smoking, many major tobacco companies shifted their investments into food and beverage companies. Already armed with knowledge about designing and marketing addictive products, they began acquiring brands and employing “craveability” experts to create hyper-palatable foods with the “perfect blend” of added sugar, fat, and salt—designed to hijack our brains at abnormally high levels.
Companies purchased by tobacco giants included Kraft, General Foods, Nabisco, and Hawaiian Punch. The foods and drinks were engineered for rapid absorption and a quick “fix.” Interestingly, this trend coincided with a rise in obesity rates.
Some studies estimate:
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Up to 20% of Americans may have food addiction.
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At least 12% of adolescents show signs of it.
- It’s more common in women than in men.
- Areas of food insecurity show a 3.8-fold higher likelihood of food addiction.
Food addiction is also strongly linked to physical and mental health challenges: being overweight, loneliness, isolation, depression, and anxiety. Believe it or not, withdrawal symptoms can occur just as with other substances.
Practical Steps for Food Addiction
While food addiction does not yet have an official medical diagnosis, there are programs and groups to help. Bright Line Eating is one such program that focuses specifically on food-addictive tendencies. They even offer a free 5-question quiz to help you determine your level of risk and your next step.
(I took the quiz myself and—no surprise—I have some of those tendencies.)
My tip? Don’t keep tempting foods and drinks in the house. Reducing your exposure helps break the cycle.
Take the Bright Line Eating Quiz
Upcoming
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Next Week: Behavior over substance—how habits and patterns affect our health beyond what we consume.
Connect with Me
To our freedom from the chains of addiction,
Kim
Hope And Healing Lifestyle Coach
“Every day you say ‘no’ to addiction is a day closer to freedom.” — Unknown
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