Associations Between Food Addiction and Substance-Use Disorders: A Critical Overview of their Overlapping Patterns of Consumption

Abstract

Purpose of Review Research on patterns of overconsumption in individuals with food addiction (FA) has focused largely on binge eating. However, compulsive overeating can be varied and dimensional. This review focuses on the similarities between the patterns of consumption in FA and in other clinically established substance-use disorders, such as alcohol and nicotine dependence. It also highlights features that make FA unique to other addiction disorders. Recent Findings Overall, there is substantial evidence that binge-like overconsumption is a characteristic of various substance-use and eating disorders. Likewise, it appears that different overeating patterns can reflect addictive-like eating. One pattern may be compulsive grazing — defined as the repetitive inability to resist consumption of small amounts of food. Summary This review adds to the increasingly compelling picture that FA and binge-eating disorder are unique conditions, and that FA resembles other substance-use disorders. We conclude that a variety of overeating patterns can reflect addictive eating behaviours in vulnerable individuals, one of which may be compulsive grazing.

Eating addiction

“…Finally, while addiction-like eating seems to be hardly distinguishable from binge eating behaviors, examining other eating patterns has been largely neglected. For example, Bonder and Davis (2022) have recently noted that addictive consumption patterns of legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco are actually more continuous throughout the day. Specifically, only about 6.5% of persons with alcohol use disorder report binge drinking and only a small subset of smokers are occasional smokers (Bonder & Davis, 2022).…”

“…For example, Bonder and Davis (2022) have recently noted that addictive consumption patterns of legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco are actually more continuous throughout the day. Specifically, only about 6.5% of persons with alcohol use disorder report binge drinking and only a small subset of smokers are occasional smokers (Bonder & Davis, 2022). Such consumption patterns are more similar to what is usually called "grazing", that is, uncontrolled, unstructured, and repetitive consumption of small amounts of food throughout the day (Table 1).…”

“…Such consumption patterns are more similar to what is usually called "grazing", that is, uncontrolled, unstructured, and repetitive consumption of small amounts of food throughout the day (Table 1). Research on grazing is scarce in general and only a handful of studies have examined grazing in the context of addiction-like eating, indicating positive associations with scores on the YFAS (Bonder & Davis, 2022). Thus, it may be fruitful to examine grazing in the context of addiction in more detail as it might be more clearly dissociable from binge-eating-related disorders.…”

Grazing Is Associated with ADHD Symptoms, Substance Use, and Impulsivity in a Representative Sample of a Large Metropolitan Area in Brazil

“…Substance use disorders and disordered eating share neural and behavioural commonalities [1,2]. Examining the extent and limits of these commonalities and their mechanisms is key for understanding these overlapping conditions and improving assessment and treatment.…”

“…Examining the extent and limits of these commonalities and their mechanisms is key for understanding these overlapping conditions and improving assessment and treatment. A variety of overeating patterns can reflect "addictive-like" eating, including grazing [1]. Grazing is the unstructured, repetitive eating of small amounts of food over a long time period outside of planned meals and snacks and/or not in response to hunger or satiety sensations [3].…”