Summary: Based on the criteria set for tobacco addiction, a new study reports that highly-processed foods can be addictive.

Source: University of Michigan

“Of note, there is no biomarker in the brain that tells us whether something is addictive or not,” Gearhardt said. “Identifying that tobacco products were addictive really boiled down to these four criteria, (which) have stood up to decades of scientific evaluation. Highly processed foods meet every single one of these criteria.”

DiFeliceantonio said the ability of highly processed foods to rapidly deliver unnaturally high doses of refined carbohydrates and fat appear key to their addictive potential.

  • @bbarkerOP
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    12 years ago

    At least in the US, a lot of these HPFs are subsidized in some form (or at least the ingredients are). So they end up being cheaper than they really ought to be. If only vegetables and organic/sustainable products were subsidized.

    • @pescetarian
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      12 years ago

      I understand this story, as I have already said, this type of food is for fat, overeated and not knowing what they have already eaten, stupid Americans, Europeans…Stupid not in the sense of an offensive word, but in the bow of a limited perception of reality. I have money, I don’t want to cook at home in my kitchen, it’s better to buy pre-made products in a beautiful package. I’m not sure that a kilogram of raw potatoes (which still need to be cleaned, boiled or fried at home) will be more expensive than buying a ready-made one.

    • @pescetarian
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      02 years ago

      Well, let them die out like a herd of stupid lazy animals. They deserve what they want! It’s also called promiscuity… What problems should we have?! Let them eat their garbage, maybe there will be one less idiot on the planet…