Addiction
Food addiction is not yet recognised by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), but it has the potential to shed a huge amount of light on the mechanisms of disordered eating and obesity.

It should come as no suprise that overeating can be a key factor in obesity. The compulsive nature of overeating has been well documented and classified as binge-eating disorder. However, this classification leaves out the addictive mechanisms of food on our brains.
Recent studies have drawn parallels between the release of the feel-good chemical dopamine in the brains of heroin addicts when they get a hit and the brains of obese individuals when they eat high-fat and sugar foods. That's right. Heroin.
More studies are in progress, but a central consideration is whether or not addiction models of treatment are appropriate or effective for obesity.
The classifiers for addiction, as listed in the DSM-5 are:
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Taking the substance in larger amounts or for longer than the you meant to
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Wanting to cut down or stop using the substance but not managing to
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Spending a lot of time getting, using, or recovering from use of the substance
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Cravings and urges to use the substance
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Not managing to do what you should at work, home or school, because of substance use
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Continuing to use, even when it causes problems in relationships
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Giving up important social, occupational or recreational activities because of substance use
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Using substances again and again, even when it puts the you in danger
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Continuing to use, even when the you know you have a physical or psychological problem that could have been caused or made worse by the substance
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Needing more of the substance to get the effect you want (tolerance)
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Development of withdrawal symptoms, which can be relieved by taking more of the substance.
Two or three symptoms indicate a mild substance use disorder, four or five symptoms indicate a moderate substance use disorder, and six or more symptoms indicate a severe substance use disorder.
A consideration of the addictive qualities of food and compulsive eating is an important part of obesity research today. If you feel this could be an issue for you, please have a look at some of the resources below.
Resources
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Obesity and Its Relationship to Addictions: Is Overeating a Form of Addictive Behavior? - Danielle Barry, Megan Clarke, and Nancy Petry
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Can Obesity Be an Addiction? - Bret S Stetka, MD and Nora Volkow, MD
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Public Views on Food Addiction and Obesity: Implications for Policy and Treatment - Natalia Lee, Wayne Hall, Frances Boyle, and Adrian Carter
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Is Obesity an Addiction? - Paul Kenny (Scientific American)
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Overeaters Anonymous helps food addicts beat obesity - Laura Speranza (The Telegraph)
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Similarity Between Obesity and Drug Addiction as Assessed by Neurofunctional Imaging: A Concept Review - Gene-Jack Wang, MD, Nora Volkow, MD, Panayotis Thanos, PhD, and Joanna Fowler, PhD