The Association Between Binge Eating, Obesity and Addiction

Obesity has become a worldwide pandemic with an estimated annual cost in related illnesses and loss of productivity over $100 billion and rising. Though not recognized as a psychiatric disorder, obesity has been linked to serious physical, psychological, and social consequences. Some forms of obesity are typified by the compulsive consumption of food, difficulty curbing further intake despite negative consequences, a desire to cut back, as well as needing increasing amounts of food to reach satiety, resembling a form of tolerance. These symptoms are remarkably similar to DSM criteria for substance use disorders. Research in both animals and humans has demonstrated food-related changes in the brain itself that are very similar to changes caused by drugs of abuse leading to the hypothesis that some forms of obesity and a related contributing behavior, binge eating, may manifest secondary to or along with a “food addiction.” This chapter seeks to describe the common elements and possible intersection of binge eating disorder, obesity, and addiction.