Latest news with #YaleFoodAddictionScale
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Ultra-processed food vs Mental Health
Yet another concerning effect of ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption has come to light — and this time, it's not just about physical health. A recent study published in the journal Food Science & Nutrition has revealed a strong connection between UPF consumption, addictive eating patterns, and psychological distress, including anxiety, tension, and low mood. Experts decode the findings for CE, explaining why UPFs may be as emotionally harmful as they are nutritionally questionable. Ultra-processed foods have long been criticised for their poor nutritional value. Now, new evidence shows their impact runs deeper. Sujatha Stephen, RD, chief nutritionist at Yashoda Hospitals, Malakpet, points to the study conducted in Ankara, Turkey, involving nearly 4,000 adults. 'The research revealed a significant association between high UPF intake and emotional states like depression, anxiety, and stress, along with addictive eating behaviours,' she said. 'It suggests that UPF consumption may not be a mere dietary choice, but rather a coping mechanism for managing emotional discomfort,' she added. Sujatha explains that this coping mechanism is amplified by the way these foods are designed. Rich in sugar, salt, and fat — and engineered to be hyper-palatable — UPFs activate the brain's reward systems, providing temporary emotional relief. 'Those with higher scores on the Yale Food Addiction Scale also reported greater UPF consumption,' she explained, adding, 'Emotional states like depression and anxiety were positively correlated with UPF intake, further reinforcing the idea that distress can lead to overconsumption.' The study also revealed notable demographic patterns. Younger individuals, women, single people, and those not currently employed were more likely to consume high levels of UPFs. 'These groups may be more vulnerable due to lifestyle stressors and limited access to healthier alternatives,' she observed. This underscores the need for a multidimensional approach that combines nutritional guidance, mental health support, and community-level interventions.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
12-05-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
Not hunger, but mood: Why stress and sadness trigger junk food cravings
A new study links ultra-processed food intake to emotional distress, showing how stress, sadness, and anxiety-not hunger-are driving junk food consumption globally New Delhi Ever wondered why we reach for that bag of chips or tub of ice cream when we're feeling down, stressed, or just bored? Science has an answer. A new study has found that our cravings for ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may be less about hunger and more about what's going on in our heads and hearts. Craving comfort: Why mood drives us to ultra-processed foods The research, titled Factors Affecting Ultra-Processed Food Consumption: Hedonic Hunger, Food Addiction, and Mood, published in Food Science & Nutrition, surveyed nearly 4,000 adults in Turkey. It revealed a strong link between UPF consumption and symptoms of food addiction, depression, anxiety, and stress. This study highlights how deeply intertwined our food choices are with our mental health. What are ultra-processed foods, and why do we crave them? Ultra-processed foods or junk foods are industrial creations loaded with additives like flavour enhancers, emulsifiers, and preservatives. Think chips, packaged cookies, sugary drinks, and instant noodles—cravings often triggered when one is tired, stressed, or 'not in the mood to cook.' They are cheap, convenient, and very tasty—but low in nutrients and high in fats, sugars, and salt. In short, they are engineered to hook us, and they're doing a good job at it. Who is more likely to binge on ultra-processed foods? The researchers surveyed nearly 4,000 adults (aged 18–65) in Ankara, Turkey, and used scales like: sQ-HPF (to measure UPF consumption), Yale Food Addiction Scale (to detect signs of food addiction), DASS-21 (to assess levels of depression, anxiety, and stress), Power of Food Scale (to gauge hedonic hunger, which is eating for pleasure, not hunger) Findings included: Younger adults (average age ~29) consumed more UPFs than older adults (~34) Women, single individuals, and unemployed respondents showed higher intake BMI didn't significantly affect UPF consumption Is food addiction real? Science says yes More than 85 per cent of participants showed signs of food addiction. UPFs activate brain reward circuits—similar to those triggered by alcohol or nicotine—leading to cravings, loss of control, and withdrawal-like symptoms. Do mood disorders influence food choices? Yes. The study found a strong link between mood disorders (depression, anxiety, stress) and UPF intake. People experiencing emotional distress were more likely to reach for processed snacks as a coping mechanism. Is hedonic hunger the driver of UPF intake? Not always Despite the pleasure-driven appeal of junk food, researchers found people were not eating for fun—they were eating because they felt bad or were already addicted. The mind–mouth connection: Healing begins with awareness The study suggests that food addiction and mood are stronger predictors of junk food intake than appetite alone. To change diets meaningfully, mental health needs to be addressed alongside nutritional advice.
Daily Mail
21-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Why you can get addicted to food in the same way as you can to cigarettes or drugs
Nicotine, drugs, gambling, sex – even smartphones: these are the things most of us would associate with the problem of addiction. But what about food? It's a dividing question, with some scientists arguing there is nothing in our diet with the same physiologically addictive properties as those found in, for example, drugs or alcohol. But others say the rise in consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is making more of us dependent on the 'high' we get from eating the combination of sugar, fat and additives in them. UPFs encompass everything from mass-produced chips and breakfast cereals to sliced bread and ready meals, and are broadly defined as foods made with multiple ingredients including additives to enhance flavour, colour and shelf-life. UPFs are increasingly linked with health problems. Now there is worrying new evidence that food addiction may be fuelling an epidemic of type 2 diabetes in the UK. More than four million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes – up from less than three million in 2018. It's a condition where the body cannot produce enough insulin or stops responding to it properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps cells process sugar from the blood for energy. When someone has diabetes, sugar builds up in the blood, gradually affecting circulation and increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, blindness and even limb amputation because of a lack of oxygen-rich blood reaching vital parts of the body. But while it's well-established that over-eating (and the obesity it can cause) is the main culprit, a new study identified the proportion of people with type 2 diabetes who meet the criteria for being food 'addicts' – with little or no self-control over their eating habits. Researchers at the Federal University of Sao Paulo in Brazil analysed previous studies on type 2 diabetes – involving almost 16,000 people – to see what proportion ticked all of the boxes for food addiction. To do this, they used the Yale Food Addiction Scale, a scoring system compiled in 2009 by scientists at Yale University in the US. It records, for instance, whether people are unable to control how much they eat, suffer withdrawal symptoms when favourite treats are not available or have repeatedly tried – and failed – to stop gorging on them. The results, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, suggested that almost a third of those with type 2 diabetes have a food addiction – and they were two-and-a-half times more likely to have it than healthy people. But what happens in the brain that leads to a food addiction? Studies show that foods, such as UPFs high in fat and sugar, act on the brain's reward mechanism, triggering the release of dopamine – a 'feelgood' chemical produced when we do something we enjoy. The theory is that it's this neurological response – the same seen from drinking alcohol or placing a bet – that drives food addiction. And over-eating these foods then causes diabetes. Warning signs of a food addiction include going to 'extreme lengths' to obtain junk food when it's not easily available, eating so excessively that you neglect work, friends and family, and being dishonest with others about your eating patterns, according to the Priory Group of private clinics, which offers food addiction treatment. However, a major 2024 study by the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, US, cast doubt on the impact of the dopamine response in food addiction. Researchers gave 50 young, healthy volunteers an ultra-processed milkshake that was high in fat and sugar and then performed brain scans to measure dopamine levels 30 minutes later. To their surprise, the results – published in the online journal medRxiv – revealed little or no change in dopamine levels, undermining the idea that people can easily get hooked on UPFs as with narcotics, nicotine or alcohol. Dr Eleanor Bryant, an associate professor of health and eating behaviour at Bradford University, told Good Health that although certain foods may act on the dopamine system in the brain, the effect is likely to be too small to lead to any genuine form of dependence – or indeed addiction. Instead, she says, if food addiction is real, it's more likely a behavioural response to stress, anxiety and poor self-esteem – rather than a neurological response to the ingredients within food. 'You can get addicted to eating but I don't think you can get addicted to food,' she says. 'It's a coping mechanism because, for many people, eating any food brings comfort and familiarity. And it's not as if you can give it up, like drugs or alcohol, so it makes it difficult to deal with.' Wasim Hanif, a professor of diabetes and endocrinology at University Hospital Birmingham, said it's well known that some people with type 2 diabetes have problems regulating their appetite. But he says it is 'inappropriate to label this as food addiction as it puts the blame on the patient'. He adds: 'Not everyone who becomes obese from over-eating develops diabetes – there's a strong genetic element as well.'
