“Eating addiction”, rather than “food addiction”, better captures addictive-like eating behavior

Abstract

"Food addiction" has become a focus of interest for researchers attempting to explain certain processes and/or behaviors that may contribute to the development of obesity. Although the scientific discussion on "food addiction" is in its nascent stage, it has potentially important implications for treatment and prevention strategies. As such, it is important to critically reflect on the appropriateness of the term "food addiction", which combines the concepts of "substance-based" and behavioral addiction. The currently available evidence for a substance-based food addiction is poor, partly because systematic clinical and translational studies are still at an early stage. We do however view both animal and existing human data as consistent with the existence of addictive eating behavior. Accordingly, we stress that similar to other behaviors eating can become an addiction in thus predisposed individuals under specific environmental circumstances. Here, we introduce current diagnostic and neurobiological concepts of substance-related and non-substance-related addictive disorders, and highlight the similarities and dissimilarities between addiction and overeating. We conclude that "food addiction" is a misnomer because of the ambiguous connotation of a substance-related phenomenon. We instead propose the term "eating addiction" to underscore the behavioral addiction to eating; future research should attempt to define the diagnostic criteria for an eating addiction, for which DSM-5 now offers an umbrella via the introduction on Non-Substance-Related Disorders within the category Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders.

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“…To protect children and those vulnerable to obesity, clinicians and others working with young people should make consistent, comprehensive concerted efforts to discourage hedonic eating [43], especially given that eating can become an addiction under certain circumstances, as with other behaviors [44]. Some consideration that the brain is either impaired to start off with, or undergoes structural changes must be considered in light of the finding that despite it becoming increasingly known that added sugars can have detrimental effects on health, people persist in consuming them in excess [45].…”

Psycho-Behavioral Spiral of Disturbances in Prosocial Behavior, Stress Response, and Self-Regulation inSubstance-Related and Addictive Disorders

“…Anxiety is a common withdrawal symptom associated with SRADs [37]. Moreover, an alcohol cue significantly induces higher anxiety scores in patients with alcoholrelated disorders compared to healthy subjects, even though there is no significant difference in baseline anxiety scores between these groups [38].…”

Eating Disorders as New Forms of Addiction

“…Except for caffeine, which has already been introduced in the DSM-5, so far there is no enough scientific evidence to support this assert. Some foods have rewarding properties, especially manipulated aliments which have been designed to maximize flavor, and can therefore participate more easily in the processes of reinforcement and reward [8]. Nevertheless, despite the fact that food and substances can act on the same brain circuits, eating habits are not only regulated by central brain structures, but also by peripheral mechanisms [9].…”

“…These behaviors are not observed in animals that, taking the same food, do not binge. This has led to the conclusion that food has no addictive qualities in itself and that the really important factor is the conditions under which food intake takes place, suggesting the replacement of the term "food addiction" by "addiction to eat" [8].…”