Food Addiction Linked to Impulsive Behavior

Impulsive behavior may actually cause people to develop an unhealthy relationship with food, just like alcohol and other drugs.

Researchers have found that people with impulsive personalities were more likely to report higher levels of food addiction - a compulsive pattern of eating that is similar to drug addiction - and may lead to obesity.

Virtual Reality Approach to Investigate Food Addictions
Researchers have made use of an innovative approach to study food addictions in hopes of finding ways to assess and treat the condition.

"The notion of food addiction is a very new one. We think it's possible to think about impulsivity, food addiction and obesity using some of the same techniques used for alcohol or other drugs," said James MacKillop, associate professor of psychology at University of Georgia's Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

Certain types of food hijack brain circuits and lay the foundation for compulsive eating habits that are similar to drug addiction, he added.

The study used two methods to determine levels of food addiction and impulsivity among 233 participants.

Sexual Abuse in Childhood Linked to Food Addiction Among Women
Women who are physically and sexually abused during their childhood were more likely to suffer from food addiction in their adulthood.

Researchers then compared these results with each participant's body mass index, which is used to determine obesity.

"Our study shows that impulsive behaviour was not necessarily associated with obesity, but impulsive behaviours can lead to food addiction," MacKillop said.

Study: Food Addiction Might Soon Get Diagnostic Status
Food addiction is not yet recognised as a mental disorder. Despite this, certain obese individuals clearly display addictive-like behaviour towards food.

The research would help experts plan treatments and interventions for obese people who have developed an addiction to food, paving the way for a healthier lifestyle, said the study published in the journal Appetite.

Foods that are high in fat, sodium, sugar and other flavoured additives appear to produce cravings much like illicit drugs.

"We would now work to see how those intense cravings might play a role in the development of obesity," added MacKillop.

Source-IANS