Highly processed foods such as chocolates, pizza and French fries are among the most addictive, according to a new study. This is one of the first studies to examine specifically which foods may be implicated in "food addiction," which has become of growing interest to scientists and consumers in light of the obesity epidemic, researchers said. Previous studies in animals conclude that highly processed foods, or foods with added fat or refined carbohydrates (like white flour and sugar), may be capable of triggering addictive-like eating behaviour. Clinical studies in humans have observed that some individuals meet the criteria for substance dependence when the substance is food. Despite highly processed foods generally known to be highly tasty and preferred, it is unknown whether these types of foods can elicit addiction-like responses in humans, nor is it known which specific foods produce these responses, said Ashley Gearhardt, University of Michigan assistant professor of psychology.
