The cry of “I have no willpower!” often emerges from the
consumers who jokingly surrender to their lack of will when it
comes to eating something clearly unhealthy. However, scientific
nutritional research has identified that something much more
serious much more dangerous is often at work here. For many
people, what they perceive as a harmless lack of willpower is
actually an addiction an addiction to chemicals that the brain
secretes in response to stimulation by certain foods, such as
chocolate or cheese[i].
As dangerous as this addiction is, however, recent studies
suggest that it is actually much more frightening than it first
seems. According to one notable study, the human brain can
release dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter linked with
feelings enjoyment, when a person merely sees or smells certain
foods[ii]. As such, people who may be sensibly avoiding foods
that release serotonin and other chemicals (such as chocolate)
may still be susceptible to a sight and smell-based addiction to
unhealthy food.
Understanding this complex problem begins with understanding the
word addiction. Defining a clear-cut definition of addiction is
in itself a challenge and a rather hotly debated pursuit at the
moment. Still, there is enough unity among credible social and
biological scientists to say that a person who is powerless to
stop an action is addicted[iii]. When applying this rather grave
concept to eating, it becomes starkly clear that choosing an
extra slice of pizza or bar of chocolate may be the expression of
a very serious addiction to unhealthy food.
Remarkably, unlike how addictions to things like alcohol, drugs,
and sexual activity viewed biological and psychological
illnesses, addiction to eating is often ignored or, at the very
least, diminished to be something that is based on willpower. The
insulting advice of “just don’t eat it if you don’t want to get
fat!” that some obese people actually hear from their doctors,
relatives, or colleagues is one of the most common manifestations
of this often well-meaning, but potentially harmful, ignorance.
The bottom line fact and one that more medical professionals
are accepting based on scientific evidence is that obesity and
related eating disorders are often the results of an addiction
they are a serious health condition that must be approached
methodologically like other diseases[iv].
Understanding that food addiction is indeed a problem a severe
disease, in fact is a fundamental key in addressing this unique
health challenge. At the same time, the notion of “willpower”
should be removed, in most cases, from the eating disorder
vocabulary, and replaced with the word “addiction”. This will
make that extra piece of pizza or that third slice of chocolate
cake be seen for what they often are: the means to satisfy a
bonafide addiction.
Once the “eating disorder as an addiction” paradigm is in place,
then and only then can both unhealthy eaters and those supporting
them take steps to solve the problem. While there are no
overnight solutions, there are paths that eaters can take that
head in the right direction: freedom from eating addiction. The
first step on this path is to eat a complete and balanced source
of nutrition.
Taking this first step, like so much else associated with the
addiction to unhealthy food, is easier said than done. Eating
sensibly is unusually difficult in a time-starved culture and
even more difficult when there are arrays of self-described
nutritious dietary sources to choose from. Whether it is energy
bars or fad diets, finding a simple, convenient, and practical
source of balanced nutrition is hard to find.
However, some exceptional products are garnering serious positive
attention from scientific community. These products deliver
complete protein in a vitamin enriched formula. Furthermore and
of critical value is that these products contain no
carbohydrates, no unsaturated fat, and few calories none of which
are from fat. These products are helping people unchain
themselves from food addictions, and reflect a trend towards
nutritious and ethical nutritional supplement manufacturing.
Of ultimate importance, however, is that these products return
eating choice control back to where it must always remain: with
conscious and empowered consumers, and not to some hidden and
potentially destructive addiction.
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