[GIMME MORE] Many older overweight women likely addicted to UPFs
Adults ages 50 to 80 who met criteria for an addiction to ultra-processed foods (UPFs) were far more likely to report being overweight, or be in fair or poor mental or physical health, according to a new survey study. UPFs are industrially produced foods typically containing unnaturally high levels of refined carbohydrates and/or added fats. They became more widely introduced into the US food environment in the 1980s and have proliferated since.
The study showed that 21% of women and 10% of men in Generation X and the tail end of the Boomer generation, now in their 50s and early 60s, met the criteria for addiction to these UPFs.
The researchers used the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0, a standardized tool adapted from the criteria used to diagnose substance use disorders. The scale asks about 13 experiences with ultraprocessed foods and drinks that define addiction, such as strong cravings, repeated unsuccessful attempts to cut down, withdrawal symptoms, and avoiding social activities because of fear of overeating.
In this case, the “substance” was not alcohol or nicotine, but highly rewarding ultra-processed foods such as sweets, fast food, and sugary beverages.
By applying clinical addiction criteria to UPFs, the study highlights the ways in which such foods can “hook” people.
“The percentages we see in these data far outpace the percentages of older adults with problematic use of other addictive substances, such as alcohol and tobacco," the authors wrote.
“We also see a clear association with health and social isolation, with much higher risks of UPF addiction in those who call their mental or physical health status fair or poor, or say they sometimes or often feel isolated from others.”
Furthermore, women ages 50 to 80 who said they are overweight were more than 11 times as likely to meet criteria for UPF food addiction than women who said their weight is about right. Men who reported being overweight were 19 times as likely to meet the criteria.
To read the study, published in Addiction, click here
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