“Shocking Study Reveals: Junk Food Triggers Cravings Comparable to Alcohol and Cigarettes, Especially in Children and Women”

The study conducted Junk Food Triggers by researchers from Brazil, Spain, and the U.S. suggests that snacks and sweets can elicit cravings comparable to those triggered by alcohol and cigarettes. The findings, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), highlight the potential need to classify processed junk food as “addictive substances” to address health concerns, particularly in countries where obesity and related diseases such as diabetes are on the rise.

READ: Ultra Processed Foods Show Similar Addiction Potential to Alcohol and Nicotine, Says Study

Junk Food Triggers

The research points out that the prevalence of reported addiction to junk food is on par with that of alcohol and tobacco, and even surpasses it among individuals classified as obese or binge-eaters. Additionally, the study highlights the unprecedented levels of implied junk food addiction in children, surpassing levels of addiction to smoking and alcohol observed in affected adults.

The study suggests that junk food consumption leads to a dopamine rush, akin to the effects of nicotine and alcohol, intensifying cravings and withdrawal symptoms in individuals with an addiction. Foods with high levels of refined carbohydrates or added fats, such as sweets and salty snacks, seem to provoke the most severe cravings, as indicated by data collected for the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), which lists 11 symptom criteria for substance use disorder.

Earlier research from 2023 suggested that roughly one in five Britons was addicted to junk food, while a separate study from Harvard University indicated that women might be more predisposed to developing a craving for snacks compared to men.