Are You Addicted to Food?
Recent studies show that middle-aged women are at greater risk of addiction to consuming ultra-processed foods
Are you compelled to eat candy on repeat? Perhaps you consistently crave chips, cookies, or sip sugary drinks all day. You may joke about your food obsession, but you also may be onto something, especially if you're a woman over the age of 50.
Food Addiction and Midlife Women
The results of a 2025 Addiction study by researchers at the University of Michigan found that more than one in five women ages 50 to 64 were addicted to ultra-processed foods (UPF), about twice that of men of the same age. Addiction was determined using the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) which applies the standards for alcohol, tobacco, and certain drugs to UPF consumption. Participants were asked to describe their distress about UPF food intake as well as behaviors associated with substance addiction.
“When we talk about ultra-processed food addiction, we're referring to a pattern of consumption that meets the same criteria used for substance addiction.”
The study focused on UPF for a reason. "Foods rich in refined carbohydrates, fats, sugar, and salt are particularly rewarding and potentially addictive," says lead author Lucy Loch, a psychology graduate student at the University of Michigan.
It's normal to enjoy modest portions of cake, chocolate, and pizza, but food addiction is different. "Addiction goes beyond simple attraction or pleasure," Loch says, "When we talk about ultra-processed food addiction, we're referring to a pattern of consumption that meets the same criteria used for substance addiction."
An ultra-processed food addiction (UPFA) is marked by repeated intense cravings that occupy your thoughts to the point of affecting your health, social life, or ability to focus on work, family, or social connections. People with UPFA experience a loss of control over food intake and continue to eat in the same way repeatedly despite the emotional and physical distress it creates. They also have withdrawal symptoms when they stop eating the foods they crave.
How the Brain Gets Hooked on Food
The brain is wired to seek and repeat pleasurable activities and experiences. When the brain's reward circuitry is set off by something pleasing such as food, it triggers a surge of dopamine. Dopamine binds to receptors on cells in the central nervous system, teaching the brain to seek enjoyable substances or experiences by making it easier to remember them.
Frequent dopamine hits increase the likelihood that you'll repeat the behavior, possibly with little thought about the consequences. As time goes on, it's possible to develop a tolerance to whatever is providing pleasure and you may need more to get the same effect. Consistently overeating UPF isn't the sole cause of a reduced dopamine effect, however. Research suggests that some people are born with fewer dopamine receptors which may boost the potential for compulsive behavior when the brain is exposed to potentially addictive substances.
Risk Factors for Food Addiction
Though foods packed with sugar, fat, salt, or a combination pose problems, not everyone who washes down orange cheese puffs with a sugary soft drink gets hooked on UPF. The reasons why certain people, such as midlife women, are more attracted to UPF aren't clear but researchers have some ideas.
Loch and her team found that people who reported poor or fair mental health were nearly three times as likely to show signs of UPFA. Though it's not clear if excessive UPF cause poor mental health or if it's the other way around, evidence shows that people with mental health concerns including depression and anxiety may be more likely to consume UPF as a way to cope with emotional distress. Research suggests that midlife women are particularly prone to depression and anxiety throughout the menopause transition and after it occurs which may help explain why more women qualified as addicted to UPF in Loch's study.
“Many people with active eating disorders have 'addictive-like' patterns to food.”
Food addiction doesn't exist in a vacuum. A 2022 Psychology of Addictive Behaviors study found that having one or more parents with a history of problematic alcohol use increased the occurrence of UPFA. The study, co-authored by Dr. Ashley Gearhardt, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan and an author of the Addiction study, found that those with compulsive UPF intake also had more problems with alcohol, smoking, and vaping.
Not Everyone Agrees About Food Addiction
While there's growing consensus that certain UPF act on the brain in ways that resemble addictive substances, the notion of UPFA is not universally accepted among all addiction researchers and clinicians who treat disordered eating. Critics maintain UPF aren't single chemicals, unlike nicotine and alcohol, which makes it difficult to tease out the exact cause of compulsive eating. They also argue that several signs of so-called addiction may be explained by existing eating habits.
"Many people with active eating disorders have 'addictive-like' patterns to food," notes Lisa M. Pearl, a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), certified eating disorders specialist, and founder of Counseling and Nutrition Center 360. "As the brain is naturally wired to find food rewarding, what appears to be addiction may actually be a response to starvation, chronic dieting, or periods of food deprivation," she says.
“...the goal is not cutting out certain foods entirely, but rather healing the biological, psychological, and relational factors that drive intense cravings or loss-of-control eating.”
For some, naming their experience as food addiction can ease shame and validate what feels unmanageable. For others, the label may intensify shame or reinforce a long history of being judged for their eating. As Pearl notes, "For many people, the goal is not cutting out certain foods entirely, but rather healing the biological, psychological, and relational factors that drive intense cravings or loss-of-control eating."
Even in the absence of a food addiction, a steady diet of frozen meals, fast food pizza, and sweets is likely low in the nutrients that contribute to physical and mental health, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This may reduce energy levels and aggravate anxiety and depression. If you're having trouble managing your intake of certain foods, consider working with a qualified mental health professional or RDN who specializes in disordered eating. Trained professionals can help identify potential eating triggers and ways of regulating emotions that don't involve food.
