Fit to Print Volume 25 Issue 3 September 2016

E AT S M A R T ! By Rachel Ezelius, RD You Might Be An Addict If... Five Signs You May Be a Food Addict A couple of years back, you may remember the media buzzing with research that concluded Oreos were more addictive than cocaine. Although that claim wasn't conﬁrmed with peerreviewed research, it does pose the question, "Can food be addictive?" What we do know from research is that certain foods containing sugar, fat or salt raise the 'feel good' reward chemicals in the brain. For some people, once these chemicals are released, there is an immediate desire for more and more and more of that food. It is an "all or nothing" mentality and eating something in moderation isn't even an option. "Food addicts" have this unhealthy relationship to food. Food addiction is not just a concern for those who are morbidly obese. Surprisingly, food addicts come in all shapes and sizes. Some normal weight people have the addictive struggles and may participate in extreme measures (like over-exercising, purging, starving themselves) to maintain their normal weight. Do you think you might be a "food addict?" Answer these ﬁve questions below. 1. Do you obsess about eating certain foods? If the thought of attending an event gets you more excited about the food than the people, you may have an unhealthy relationship with food. It is okay to look forward to grandma's homemade pumpkin pie at the holidays, but if every event food 10 is your focal point

Fit to Print Volume 25 Issue 3 September 2016 | Page 10