Food Addiction: A New Substance Use Disorder?-View Presentation

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Video Summary

Dr. Ashley Gerhart from the University of Michigan speaks about the potential of a new substance use disorder related to the intake of highly processed foods. Recent research parallels food addiction with recognized substance use disorders. Processes that make certain foods addictive involve refining naturally occurring substances, similar to how tobacco or highly addictive substances are manufactured. This has resulted in high obesity rates and diet-related diseases, akin to health crises caused by tobacco in past decades.<br /><br />The emphasis is on how current food environments, rich in ultra-processed, calorie-dense foods, may trigger addictive behaviors similar to those found in substance use disorders. Dr. Jean-Jacques Wang explores obesity's association with altered brain functions, comparing it to compulsive drug use, noting similarities in dopamine system dysfunction in both conditions. He highlights that foods high in sugar and fat activate the brain significantly, unlike natural foods that don't combine these elements.<br /><br />Dr. George Koob introduces hyperkatifeia, a heightened negative emotional state during withdrawal from palatable foods, proposing that this perpetuates the cycle of compulsive consumption due to reliance on negative reinforcement. Meanwhile, Dr. Nora Volkow discusses the impact of social determinants of health such as poverty on eating behaviors and the importance of redefining food addiction in the DSM-5.<br /><br />Overall, the discussion centers on the necessity of recognizing and addressing food addiction within public health paradigms. This includes interventions in socio-economically disadvantaged environments to preemptively address and diminish obesity rates and related health issues.

Keywords

substance use disorder

highly processed foods

food addiction

obesity rates

diet-related diseases

ultra-processed foods

dopamine dysfunction

sugar and fat

hyperkatifeia

negative reinforcement

social determinants of health

DSM-5

public health interventions