The Hunger Fix

THE HUNGER FIX

Food Addiction is Real

What have scientists discovered about food addiction?

Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health has been a leading scientist exploring the relationship between food and addiction, along with her colleague Dr. Gene Jack-Wang, of the Brookhaven Labs. Their teams found that it was primarily the continuous exposure to the “hyperpalatables”—sugary/fatty/salty foods, often refined and processed—that caused profound changes in the brain’s reward center, resulting in a decreased number of receptors for the reward/pleasure neurotransmitter dopamine. This then leads to a vicious cycle of overeating and bingeing. READ MORE >

The DOPAMINE Made Me Do It

Research is uncovering a link between our lifestyle, our genes, and a means to overcome the unhealthy connection between food and addiction. READ MORE >

Food Addiction Quiz

The following quiz is adapted from the Yale Food Addiction Scale (Peeke 2012).

Instructions:

Please respond to statements 1 through 7 using these numerical options:
0: never
1: once per month
2: 2–4 times per month
3: 2–3 times per week
4: 4+ times per week

Statements:

  1. I find myself consuming certain foods even when I am no longer hungry.
  2. I worry about cutting down on certain foods.
  3. I feel sluggish or fatigued from overeating.
  4. I spend time dealing with negative feelings from overeating certain foods instead of sharing time with family or friends, working or doing other important or recreational activities.
  5. I have had physical withdrawal symptoms such as agitation and anxiety when I cut down on certain foods (do not include caffeinated drinks: coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, etc.).
  6. My behavior with respect to food and eating causes me significant distress.
  7. Issues related to food and eating decrease my ability to function effectively (daily routine, job/school, social or family activities, health difficulties).

Answer yes or no for the following statements:

  1. I keep consuming the same types or amounts of food despite significant emotional and/or physical problems related to my eating.
  2. Eating the same amount of food does not reduce negative emotions or increase pleasurable feelings the way it used to.

Scoring:

If you answered yes to either 8 or 9 (or both) and had the scores below on three or more of statements 1 through 7, you meet the food addict criteria.

Statement 1:     4
Statement 2:     4
Statement 3:     3 or 4
Statement 4:     3 or 4
Statement 5:     3 or 4
Statement 6:     3 or 4
Statement 7:     3 or 4