Help may be on the way for junk food addicts.
Recent studies suggest that these irresistible dishes are not only designed to be delicious, but also addictive — so much so that some experts are calling the insatiable craving a bona fide mental illness, per the Wall Street Journal.
Symptoms of “ultra-processed food use disorder” or “highly-processed food use disorder,” would include intense cravings and difficulty cutting down consumption, as well as withdrawal symptoms such as irritability and agitation trying to reduce intake, according to Ashley Gearhardt, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan and top researcher in the field of food addiction.
Decades of research have shown that ultra-processed foods — such as potato chips, some cereals, store-bought condiments and prepackaged snacks — are bad for the body. And with additional mounting evidence that the brain and gut are intrinsically linked, experts say that food has the power to change our minds, too, contributing to mood disorders, sleep issues, learning impairments and cognitive decline.
A 2017 study published in PLoS One found that after four days of having a breakfast high in saturated fat and added sugar, individuals saw reductions in performance on some learning and memory tests, while those who ate healthier breakfasts didn’t see any performance changes.
One large review of research published last month in the journal BMJ particularly found that diets with high levels of ultra-processed foods saw an increased risk of depression, anxiety and sleep problems.
A different study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders in March 2023 found that rates…
