Gordon, E. L., Ariel-Donges, A. H., Bauman, V., & Merlo, L. J. (2018). What Is the Evidence for “Food Addiction?” A Systematic Review. Nutrients, 10(4), 477. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10040477

Of the 35 articles (52 studies) included in this review, 31 articles (47 studies) reported results supporting the criteria for addiction, two articles (two studies) were mixed, and two articles (three studies) reported unsupportive findings. Some have proposed that food addiction should be classified as a behavioral disorder (i.e., “eating addiction”) similar to a gambling disorder. However, the vast majority of studies identified for this review, have conceptualized food addiction as a substance use disorder. Behavioral addictions involve dependence on a behavior, not a substance; however, addictive-like consumption of highly palatable food involves both a behavior (eating) and substance (food). Some classic substance addictions, such as tobacco use disorder, also appear to include behavioral dependencies. However, these behavioral patterns are also frequently observed among individuals with alcohol and other drug use disorders. Study results generally support the validity of food addiction as a diagnostic construct, particularly as it relates to foods high in added sweeteners and refined ingredients.