Obesity due to food addiction, study confirms

Food addiction is a hot topic for debate because of the controversy it holds as to whether it is real or simply pass as food cravings. However, according to a new study, these simple food cravings, especially among obese and overweight individuals, are hard-wired in the brain, similar to how a person becomes physically dependent on substances like heroin and cocaine.

Medical Daily writes that based on the results of the study presented in the annual conference at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology in Amsterdam, there is little evidence about food addiction, but there are neural changes associated with food as a stimuli for reward process, which is comparable to how substance abuse or addiction works.

Cognitive psychologist and lead author of the study Oren Contreras-Rodriguez states that although the nature of the study is controversial, there is still a potential to detect brain biomarkers in order to prevent and manage obesity. She explains that food addiction may be viewed as directly associated to behavior and brain changes when people experience food cravings.

Discovery News notes that the team asked more than 80 participants, 40 of them obese, to consume a buffet-style meal. After the meal, each participant was subjected to an MRI scan while looking at food photos of the buffet. The results reveal that among obese participants, there is a bigger connection between the reward-based part of the brain and the coding part, which determines the energy value of food. 

The researchers conclude that people who have troubles with weight management are more than likely to have food cravings; thus they become obese or overweight. Learning about how brain activity affects how individuals see food may help generate and develop weight loss therapy programs and brain stimulation or pharmaceutical techniques.

However, Dr. Holly Phillips of CBS News shares that comparing food addiction to drug addiction may be too controversial, as the latter is a recognized medical condition. She explains that drug abuse can lead to changes in how the brain thinks and works and these changes do not go away.

Although there are similarities, Dr. Phillips says that food cravings are mostly associated to food with high sugar, fat or sodium content. Although comparing obesity to drug addiction may seem far off, the results of the findings may still be used to treat medical conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes and other health disorders, she concludes.