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What is Food Addiction?
By Scott Mc Cann
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Most
assuredly, overeating is a disease of addiction, just like drugs and alcohol,
food addiction has all the progressive physiological and psychological maladies
affecting the heath, social and economic qualities of life of the addicted.
OBESITY: First, we need to look at how wide spread obesity is and how it may affect our lives. According to the American Obesity Association "Obesity is a disease that affects nearly one-third of the adult American population (approximately 60 million). The number of overweight and obese Americans has continued to increase since 1960, a trend that is not slowing. Today, 64.5 percent of adult Americans (about 127 million) are categorized as being overweight or obese. Each year, obesity causes at least 300,000 [premature] deaths in the U.S., and healthcare costs of American adults with obesity amount to approximately $100 billion"The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing worldwide at an alarming rate in both developing and developed countries. Environmental and behavioral changes brought about by economic development, modernization, and urbanization have been linked to the rise in global obesity. Obesity is increasing in children and adults, and true health consequences may become fully apparent in the near future. A Rand Corporation study released in January 2004 found links between the increase in obesity and reported disabilities. Their study found a 39.4% increase in the number of people between the ages of 30 and 49 years who were unable to care for themselves do to obesity. Muscle-skeletal problems (such as chronic back pain), which are linked to obesity, are one of the nation’s leading causes of disability, along with mental illness such as schizophrenia.1Any major body organ may be affected. High incidents of illnesses occur with obesity such as; Osteo and Rheumatoid arthritis, birth defects, cardiovascular, carpal tunnel, chronic venous insufficiency, deep vein thrombosis, type 2 diabetes, gallbladder and gout. Cancers including; breast, esophagus, gastric, colorectal and renal cell. Episodes of hypertension, depression, irritability, and headaches are also more prevalent in obese people. Today, one of the most commonly accepted tools for determining if you are overweight or obese is the Body Mass Index (B.M.I.). A mathematical formula which divides your body weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. (See discussion of B.M.I. at the conclusion of the article). A B.M.I. of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered a healthy weight. A B.M.I. of 25.0 to 29.9 is overweight, over 30 is obese and a B.M.I. of 40 or greater is considered extremely or morbidly obese A large percentage, if not most cases of overweight and/or obesity is the results of poor diet, lack of appropriate exercise and economic factors. Modernization, the growth of industry and technology, introduced over 50 years ago in the Western world has led to an abundance of food particularly high caloric and a decrease in overall physical activity. Urbanization, population growth in large cities, is associated with changes in diet, more reliance on non-traditional foods, and a more sedentary lifestyle. The number of women entering the job market has increased with economic development, and contributed to an increased dependence on convenience foods and the use of labor saving devices.FOOD ADDICTION While much of today's obesity is associated with environmental factors, there is a percentage of the population that is truly addicted to food. One might say chemically and emotionally. This is the focus of this paper.Using alcoholism as a comparison, we make the distinction between moderate and heavy drinkers and the true alcoholic. The moderate and heavy drinker can stop or moderate their drinking when the alcohol affects their daily living. The alcoholic cannot. They develop a physical, mental and emotional phenomenon of craving and a chemical addiction to alcohol. Similarly with obesity, many overeaters can moderate and reduce their weight through a change in their diet and exercise. The food addict cannot. They develop the same physical, mental, emotional craving and chemical addiction to food.Dr. Michael Rosenbaum, MD, Mill Valley California, believes that food in some people has a profound effect on the limbic portion of the brain. This portion of the brain is the control center of our emotions and memory; it controls several automatic functions such as body temperature, blood pressure, sleep, hunger, thirst, and even sexuality. Dr. William Philpott, MD, Oklahoma City, a clinical ecologist believes that food triggers a rise in the enkaphalin of the brain. The enkaphalin is an opiate narcotic produced by the body similar to externally supplied narcotics.Many people who are recovering overeaters are also recovering narcotic addicts often using narcotics to control their eating. This is similar to the alcoholic who uses cocaine to "control and improve" their drinking. Over the years many of the popular prescription diet aids were either opiate or amphetamine based. Those who are truly addicted to food display many of the characteristics of addicts and alcoholics. Including warped perceptions of reality, insecurities, fears, denial, hiding food (like hiding bottles), impaired physical reaction, lethargy, and even blackouts. Just like the narcotic addict's "drug of choice" varies from addict to addict, the food addict's "drug of choice" may vary. The most common drug of choice of food addicts is wheat. Products such as bread, cakes, pies, crackers, and cereals such as Wheaties. Other choices include corn and dairy products and to a lesser extent potatoes and rice.Dr. Marshall Mandell, MD, Norwalk Connecticut, found in treating hospitalized schizophrenic patients, that more than 90% were addicted to one or more common substances. Using a test group of patients diagnosed as "hard-to-treat neurotics", he found that 88% were addicted/allergic to wheat, 60% to milk and 50% to corn. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to observe two acute cases of untreated food addiction. Most recently was a 50-year-old man who had checked himself into a sober living home in an attempt to recover from his cocaine and amphetamine addiction. When he checked in, he had three separate sets of clothes. He explained that his weight changed with the seasons of the year.After a few weeks in the home and being "clean" of narcotics, his eating and other habits began to change dramatically. His food intake increased. Especially fast foods and wheat products. He became very lethargic, slovenly, barely making it to work. His food bill became so high; he had difficulties meeting his rent payment in a timely manner. Bizarre habits developed such as neatly stacking empty soda cans in his refrigerator instead of placing them in the trash or recycle bins only a few feet away. Towards the end, he was walking around the house in a daze and in a blackout, going to the refrigerator almost hourly throughout the night.The residents of the recovery home notice his behavior and in fact planned an intervention. However, since none in the home were familiar with food addiction, the intervention was delayed. He finally relapsed on amphetamines and directed to leave the home. He moved back to his mother's home and remains untreated today. Previously I observed an employee who was a heroin addict. He had gone through an inpatient program and went to Narcotics Anonymous meetings regularly. Over a rather short period, his eating habits changed. His roommates reported he was sitting around the house with a loaf of white bread or a box of Wheaties under his arm eating by the fistful. He became lethargic and less attentive at work.One day in the office his shirt separated from his pants and I noticed stretch marks on his stomach similar to those observed on a recently pregnant woman. He later relapsed on heroin and lived in a sewer pipe near Mexico for 18 months. I am happy to report today that his has been "clean" for more than two years and attends Narcotics and Overeaters Anonymous meetings on a regular basis.ARE YOU A FOOD ADDICT? So how do you know if you or a loved one is a food addict? Truthfully, only the food addict can tell. Unlike alcohol and drugs, the symptoms are subtle. The chances of being arrested for driving under the influence of a Big Mac or illegal possession of an excess quantity of Twinkies will not happen. There are no Food Police. Have you tried to control your eating and cannot? Do you find yourself hiding food or secretly bingeing? Do you have feelings of guilt or remorse after eating? Do you eat over emotions? Is your weight affecting your way of life? Do you purge (induce vomiting) after eating? This is known as Bulimia. These questions and others can be found in the "Self Test for Compulsive Overeating".WHAT CAN YOU DO? If you believe you have a food addiction, there are several options available to you. Such as: Consult an eating disorder specialist, doctor, psychologist, or clinic. Not diet clubs or diet doctors. Attend meetings of Overeaters Anonymous (OA). Obtain OA publications and printed materials.If there is not an OA meeting in your area, attend meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous or purchase a copy of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous and substitute the word "food" for "Alcohol". Listen for the similarities of feelings, emotions, and consequences. Develop a Plan of Eating. This is not a diet or a willpower exercise of pushing yourself away from the table or closing the refrigerator door. Rather, a fearless self-evaluation, the reasons why you are eating at a particular moment and the results you get from eating. That is escape, relief, pleasure, remorse, guilt, etc. You will need help with this. For an extended explanation, see "A Plan of Eating - A Tool for Living One Day at a Time"Finally, if you believe that your eating addiction or that of a loved one has become life threatening seek medical assistance immediately. WHAT IS BODY MASS INDEX?Today, one of the most commonly accepted tools for assessing your weight and determining if you are overweight or obese is the Body Mass Index or B.M.I.. This is a mathematical formula, which divides your body weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. To convert this formula to English pounds and inches, multiply the results by a factor of 704.5. Metric = Weight (Kg) / Height (M) squared = B.M.I. English = Weight (lbs.) / Height (in) squared x 704.5 = B.M.I. Using myself as an example, I weigh 155 pounds (70.31 Kilos) and 6'2" or 74 inches (1.879 meters) tall. My BMI is: 155lbs / (74") squared x 704.5 = 19.9 70.31kgs / (1.879mts) squared = 19.9 If I were to gain 40 pounds (18.2 Kilos), my B.M.I. would be 25.1
The B.M.I. is not a precise, be-all-to-end-all measurement. It is however a good guideline applicable to about 95% of the population. Other factors such as muscular athletes, pregnant and lactating women, waist size to height ratio, percent body fat and unique ethnic background have to be taken into consideration. © anonymousone.com 2004 & 2007 1. Schizophrenia; A psychotic disorder characterized by loss of contact with the environment, by noticeable deterioration in the level of functioning in everyday life and by disintegration of personality expressed as disorder of feeling thought, and conducts. |
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