Which Foods May Be Addictive? The Roles of Processing, Fat Content, and Glycemic Load

Summary

Objectives We propose that highly processed foods share pharmacokinetic properties (e.g. concentrated dose, rapid rate of absorption) with drugs of abuse, due to the addition of fat and/or refined carbohydrates and the rapid rate the refined carbohydrates are absorbed into the system, indicated by glycemic load (GL). The current study provides preliminary evidence for the foods and food attributes implicated in addictive-like eating. Design Cross-sectional. Setting University (Study One) and community (Study Two). Participants 120 undergraduates participated in Study One and 384 participants recruited through Amazon MTurk participated in Study Two. Measurements In Study One, participants (n = 120) completed the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) followed by a forced-choice task to indicate which foods, out of 35 foods varying in nutritional composition, were most associated with addictive-like eating behaviors. Using the same 35 foods, Study Two utilized hierarchical linear modeling to investigate which food attributes (e.g., fat grams) were related to addictive-like eating behavior (at level one) and explored the influence of individual differences for this association (at level two). Results In Study One, processed foods, higher in fat and GL, were most frequently associated with addictive-like eating behaviors. In Study Two, processing was a large, positive predictor for whether a food was associated with problematic, addictive-like eating behaviors. BMI and YFAS symptom count were small-to-moderate, positive predictors for this association. In a separate model, fat and GL were large, positive predictors of problematic food ratings. YFAS symptom count was a small, positive predictor of the relationship between GL and food ratings. Conclusion The current study provides preliminary evidence that not all foods are equally implicated in addictive-like eating behavior, and highly processed foods, which may share characteristics with drugs of abuse (e.g. high dose, rapid rate of absorption) appear to be particularly associated with “food addiction.”

Related articles

• Nutrition and Laboratory Preparation: A Comprehensive Guide

  This document outlines fundamental concepts of laboratory preparation, nutrition assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and meal planning, emphasizing the importance of accurate measurements and procedures in both food preparation and nutrition care.

• Emergency and Disaster Nursing Care of Clients in Acute Biologic Crisis

  This document provides a comprehensive overview of emergency nursing care practices, focusing on the triage process and management of clients in acute biologic crises. It details the principles of emergency care, the roles of nursing in emergency situations, and the importance of proper documentation and consent.

• Filtration in an X-ray Tube (Detailed Notes)

  This document provides detailed notes on the process of filtration in X-ray tubes, explaining how it removes low-energy X-rays to enhance image quality and reduce patient radiation dose. It covers types of filtration, including inherent and added filtration, and their significance in radiology.

• Nursing Situations and Ethical Decision-Making in Community Health Care

  This document presents several situational nursing scenarios focusing on pregnancy, ethical principles, elderly care, record keeping, infection control, mental health, community health problems, and participative action research (CO-PAR) aimed at improving public health nursing practices.

• Veterinary Microbiology and Public Health

  This document serves as educational material on veterinary microbiology, detailing various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, their characteristics, and the diseases they cause in animals. It is intended for veterinary students and professionals to enhance their understanding of bacteriology in the context of public health.