There are individuals who do have an addiction to food and their condition is known as binge eating disorder, but it is a relatively uncommon condition, affecting less than three per cent of obese people. However, this has not prevented the term 'food addiction' being bandied about. Those who suffer from binge eating disorder have a compulsion to eat and a sense that they have no control. There are complex psychological issues at play, and yet there are individuals who have a weight problem that claim they have an addiction to food, rather than admitting that they eat too much food simply because they are greedy.
Obesity rates have been on the rise over the past few decades, as people's lifestyles have become increasingly sedentary and cheap, processed foods have become more widely available. Although the idea of a food addiction is a tempting one, it does tend to remove personal responsibilty from the equation. If you have an 'addiction' then it shifts the blame away from you. The trouble is if you believe you have a medical condition which makes controlling your weight more difficult, you basically have a convenient excuse not to do anything to address the problem, which utlimately will not help you manage your weight in the long run.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24402163
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