Why can’t you stop eating that delicious chocolate no matter how full you are? Because you might become addicted to the food. Researchers recently launched a study to map alcohol and tobacco addiction, which tracks the decline in control over intake, craving, withdrawal, and continued use of certain foods, despite their negative effects on the body. A similar scale was developed. According to this index, nearly 14 percent of adults and 12 percent of children are food addicted.
The analysis, recently published in the British Medical Journal, also found that almost a third of people who had bariatric surgery and half of people with bulimia also had a food addiction. reason? Researchers say ultra-processed foods (industrially produced foods that contain ingredients not available in home kitchens) can make people addicted to food. This includes frozen foods such as breakfast cereals, biscuits, chicken nuggets, ice cream, candy, and soda.
Why are some foods addictive and others not?
Foods high in refined carbohydrates and fats, like other addictive substances, trigger a dopamine response in the brain. Naturally occurring fruits, vegetables, or nuts can contain high levels of either fat or carbohydrates, but unlike ultra-processed foods, they rarely contain both. For example, apples have a carbohydrate to fat ratio of 0.36:1, salmon 0:1, and nuts approximately 1:5. However, a chocolate bar has a 1:1 carbohydrate to fat ratio.
Why do we crave ultra-processed foods?
Ultra-processed foods not only differ in their basic structure from natural food substances, but they can also contain high levels of sugar, salt, and other additives to improve flavor and mouthfeel. The carbohydrates and fats in ultra-processed foods are absorbed more quickly in the intestines, making them more addictive. Researchers say this is much like smoking, which rapidly delivers nicotine to the brain.
How can I overcome food addiction?
Dr. Ambrish Mittal, chairman of endocrinology and diabetes at Max Healthcare, recommends calorie counting to overcome cravings for ultra-processed foods. “If you count the calories in all the chocolate, sweets, and colas you consume, you’ll quickly find that you’ll quickly reach your daily calorie intake goal. Then you’ll have to stay hungry. On the other hand, A bowl of salad may only add 50 calories, but it will make you feel fuller. Over time, you will feel fuller, and these highly processed foods will make you feel fuller. You’ll want to avoid it because it’s empty,” he says.
Why is it important to define and diagnose food addiction?
Researchers say quantifying food addiction can help manage treatment protocols for obesity and eating disorders. Second, properly defined conditions can help identify missing cases. According to the study, an estimated 1 percent of the population suffers from bulimia, while an estimated 14 percent are addicted to ultra-processed foods.
well read
Kiran Kumar says her ‘B and C movies’ helped finance her dream home: ‘The pillars alone cost Rs 44 million’
India vs Pakistan: When Javed Miandad invited Kiran More to a dinner that ended at 3am and Manoj Prabhakar learned the reverse swing from Sarfraz Nawaz at the party
Third, adding it as an official diagnosis would also lead to further research on the treatment and clinical management of such cases.
Why are the policy interventions suggested by the research necessary?
The study suggests interventions such as taxing ultra-processed foods and drinks to make them more affordable. “To reduce children’s exposure, we need to make sure that these products are not easily available to children. As a society, we need to make healthy foods more accessible than unhealthy foods. There is a label on the front of the pack that helps. There is no need to say that this product is addictive as these have already been proven to cause other lifestyle disorders,” says Dr Mittal.
© Indian Express Private Limited
Date first published: December 10, 2023 09:00 IST
