Ultraprocessed foods like pizza, chips, ice cream, and candy may trigger addictive behavior. That’s the conclusion of Scientific American’s interview with neuroscientist Alex DiFeliceantonio who studies how foods interact with the brain’s reward system at Virginia Tech.
From cocaine to alcohol, addictive substances increase dopamine in a brain region called the striatum. Some foods do the same thing. Ultraprocessed foods, loaded with fat, refined carbohydrates, and sodium, hit the most dopamine triggers at once. These foods are engineered with emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, and industrial processing methods no home cook could replicate. They’re designed to be irresistible — and for some people, they are. Around 12% of people have signs of food addiction worldwide (based on the Yale Food Addiction Scale).
Ultraprocessed foods have risen in lockstep with obesity and diabetes, a trend that started in the 1950s and accelerated in the 1980s and 1990s:
Rise in ultraprocessed foods, obesity, and type II diabetes
A Telling Experiment
DiFeliceantonio’s team recruited young adults for a study that tested how ultraprocessed foods change their eating habits. They divided the participants into two groups who at either:
- Ultraprocessed foods (81% of calories from ultraprocessed foods)
- Healthy foods (0% of calories from ultraprocessed foods)
They were then presented a buffet of regular food. Among the teens, those who had just finished the ultraprocessed diet ate more, even when they weren’t hungry. In another test, they snacked more instead of playing on their phone, again, even when not hungry. They didn’t see this behavior change in the 21-25 year olds, just the younger participants.
Controversy
The idea that food is addictive is still controversial. It’s not in the DSM, the book of psychiatric diagnoses, but it shares overlap with Binge Eating Disorder, and most binges involve fatty, sugary, processed foods. Unlike alcohol and cocaine, food is necessary for survival, which makes “addiction” an uncomfortable label. Some critics worry about overpathologizing normal eating. Others frame it as a moral failing — if you can’t stop eating chips, you lack willpower. DiFeliceantonio rejects that framing entirely. We don’t tell people with alcohol use disorder to just try harder. The same compassion applies here.
Treatment
Treatment is trickier than other addictions. Standard addiction therapy tells patients to avoid the cues and contexts tied to their substance. But food is everywhere. You can’t opt out of eating. Instead, aim for environmental control. Keep your pantry loaded with healthier snacks and limit ultraprocessed ones. DiFeliceantonio argues for more legal regulation, like we already do with age and advertising restrictions on nicotine and alcohol.
Shopping for Healthier Foods
It’s difficult to tell ultraprocessed from processed foods. The NOVA classification attempts to clarify the matter, and these tips can guide you in the grocery store. Choose foods with:
- Fewer chemicals on the package
- Less added sugar
- Lower sodium
A free app, OpenFoodFacts, scans bar codes in the store and rates items by degree of processing (the Nova classification) and nutritional health (the Nutri-score). These food swaps will get you started.
The Bottom Line
- Ultraprocessed foods are linked to depression, cognitive decline, and other psychiatric disorders
- An evidence based diet for depression recommends no more than 3 small servings of ultra-processed foods per week (including, fried, fast-, and sugary foods)
- Use the OpenFoodFacts app to make wise choices in the grocery store
—Chris Aiken, MD
Director, Psych Partners
Editor in Chief, Carlat Psychiatry Report
