Addicted to Highly Processed Foods? Find out with the Yale Food Addiction Scale

Are you Addicted to Highly Processed Foods? Find out with the Yale Food Addiction Scale

Ultra-Processed Food Addiction

Are you addicted to highly processed foods?  Recent studies find that food addiction may be more common than we think.  Systematic reviews covering more than 30 countries found addiction levels similar to those seen in alcohol and tobacco addictions, with about 14% of adults and 12% of children having a food addiction today, and levels reaching 32% in the obese population (10) (11).

With so many people, adults and children alike, affected by food addiction today, it’s important to understand which types of foods are most addictive.  Current research shows that ultra-processed foods containing refined carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and salt are the types of foods strongly involved in addiction that promote excessive intake, losing control over how much is consumed, cravings, and continuing to consume the food despite the negative consequences (10).

Ultra-Processed Food Defined

Ultra-processed foods are made with chemically modified substances and additives like hydrogenated fats, added sugars, artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, and emulsifiers, with very little whole food (1) (2).

These are convenience foods, ready to eat or easily prepared with minimal time and effort.  Examples of ultra-processed foods are frozen meals, hot dogs, cold cuts, fast food, breakfast cereals, soft drinks, packaged snacks like cookies, cakes, pretzels, and flavored yogurt (1) (2).

Consumption of ultra-processed food is associated with an increased risk for chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, fatty liver disease, and various types of cancer (1) (3).

Addictive-like eating behaviors

Food addiction can be a controversial topic, with some considering it behavioral as it involves dependence on a behavior (eating) and others a substance addiction because it involves food substances (7).

The DSM-IV provides diagnostic criteria for substance dependence such as withdrawal symptoms, consuming larger amounts than intended, a persistent desire or unsuccessful attempts to cut down, and continual use despite knowing the consequences, among others (9).

Some studies show that the brain responds similarly to abnormal eating behaviors as with dependence upon other substances (9).

A systematic review found that processed foods containing added sweeteners, fats, and refined ingredients showed the greatest addictive potential to those consuming them and fit the criteria for substance use disorder (7).

Studies have shown the Yale Food Addiction Scale to be valid and reliable when gathering data on food addiction (8).

The Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0

The Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 was developed to provide a valid measure of addictive eating behavior that can be diagnosed as substance dependence (4).

This scale includes questions like “I spent a lot of time feeling sluggish or tired from overeating” and “I tried and failed to cut down on or stop eating certain foods” (5).

Determining your score for this 13-question survey is a bit involved, as each question has a different threshold to assess the symptom criterion score.  You can access the questions and scoring information provided by Dr. Gearhardt through these links. 

There’s also an updated and shortened version of this scale called the Modified Highly Processed Withdrawal Scale (mProWS) with 7 questions that measure withdrawal symptoms associated with cutting down on the consumption of ultra-processed foods (6).