Can food addictive? Public health and policy implications

• GEARHARDT, Ashley. Can food addictive? Public health and policy implications, Yale rudd center for food policy & obesity, November 12^th 2011.

Abstract:

Give an account of a study of the addictive potential of foods. Presents  the potential application of policy and public health approaches that have been effective in reducing the impact of addictive substances to food-related problems.

Quotation:

“The food environment has changed dramatically with the influx of hyperpalatable foods that are engineered in ways that appear to surpass the rewarding properties of aliments traditional foods (eg vegetables, fruits, nuts) by increasing fat, sugar, salt, flavors and food additives to high levels. Foods share multiple features with addictive drugs. Food cues and consumption can activate neurocircuitry (eg meso-cortico-limbic pathways) implicated in drugs addictions. Animals given intermittent access to sugar exhibit behavioral and neurobiological indicators of withdrawal and tolerance, cross-sensitization to psychostimulants and increased motivation to consume alcohol. Rats consuming diets high in sugar and fat demonstrate reward dysfunction associated with drug addictions, downregulation of striatal dopamine receptors and compulsive eating, including continued consumption, despite receipt of shocks.”

Index terms:

Junk food, addiction, food, obesity, public health.

→ Found with: Newsletter “Yale rudd center for food policy & obesity”

→ URL: http://www.yaleruddcenter.org/resources/upload/docs/what/addiction/AddictionPublicHealthandPolicyImplications_Addiction_6.11.pdf

L.T.G