Food addictions

One in 10 people is addicted to food in the same way that others are addicted to alcohol. The problems are the same as with any addiction: an intense obsession with food which leads to constant cravings. Most food addicts tend to be very overweight, which is bad for their long-term health. So what triggers an addiction to food? Dr Robert Lefever, an addiction expert, explains, “In some people, cravings originate from a defect in the mood centers of the brain, in how certain messages are transmitted from one cell to the next. Some people are just born like that, in the same way that some people are genetically predisposed to alcoholism. Eating the wrong foods makes symptoms much worse, as it triggers more cravings. It is difficult for a person to deal with food addiction on their own. They should always seek professional help to help them learn to substitute their addictive tendencies with other healthy behavior. An elimination diet is also important to reduce the intensity of cravings.”