Wiss, D.A., Logan, A.C. A unified theory of restrictive and addictive eating: a life course model integrating generational transmission, neurodevelopmental risk, and ultra-processed food use disorder—a theoretical review. J Eat Disord (2026). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-026-01618-6
The authors propose a new way of understanding food addiction by placing it within a broader life-course model. Instead of viewing restrictive eating and addictive eating as separate issues, they argue that both can develop from shared pathways shaped by early life stress, biology, and environment. The paper highlights how factors like trauma, chronic stress, and exposure to ultra-processed foods can interact with brain systems involved in reward and regulation, increasing the risk for addiction-like eating patterns. The authors suggest that “addiction-like eating represents key pathways from childhood adversity to problematic eating in adulthood,” emphasizing that food addiction is not random, but part of a deeper, patterned response shaped over time. Overall, the study pushes for a more integrated view, where food addiction is understood as part of a larger system involving both biology and lived experience.