The Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery at Proctor Hospital
responds to your questions...

Q: What is food addiction?

A: Food addiction is a disorder characterized by preoccupation with food, the availability of food and the anticipation of pleasure from the ingestion of food. Food addiction involves the repetitive consumption of food against the individual's better judgment, resulting either in loss of control or in the restriction of food intake and preoccupation with body weight and image.

Types of Food Addiction

Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by intense fear of gaining weight. The behavior includes excessive weighing, excessive measuring of body parts and persistently using a mirror to check body size. Self-esteem is dependent upon body shape and weight. Weight loss is viewed as an impressive achievement and an example of extraordinary self- discipline.

Physical implications may include disruption of the menstrual cycle, signs of starvation, thinning of hair or hair loss, bloated feeling, yellowish palms/soles of feet, and dry, pasty skin.

Bulimia Nervosa is described as binge eating and compensatory behavior to prevent weight gain. Individuals become ashamed of their eating behavior and attempt to conceal symptoms through rapid consumption of food. They will eat until painfully full and stop if intruded upon. Eighty to 90 percent of bulimics will induce vomiting. Other behaviors include misuse of laxatives, fasting and excessive exercise.

Physical implications include: loss of dental enamel, increase in the number of cavities in the teeth, swollen saliva glands, calluses, scars on the hands, irregular menstrual cycle, dependency on laxatives for bowel movements, and fluid and electrolyte disturbance.

Compulsive Overeaters use food inappropriately, eventually becoming addicted to it and losing control over the amount of food they eat. Overeaters demonstrate uncontrollable binge eating without extreme weight control and see that behavior as normal.

Overeaters present with moderate to severe obesity, with an average binge eater being 60 percent overweight. Bingeing episodes consist of eating carbohydrates and junk food, with most binges completed in scheduled secrecy.

Q: How can I tell if I have a food addiction?

A: The following questions can help you determine if you have a food addiction.

• Has anyone ever told you that you have a problem with food?
• Do you think food is a problem for you?
• Do you eat large amounts of high calorie food in a short period of time?
• Do you find yourself fearful of gaining weight?
• Do you eat when you are disappointed, tense or anxious?
• Can you stop eating without a struggle after one or two sweets?
• Do you find yourself preoccupied with gaining weight?
• Has being overweight ever affected any part of your life?
• Do you weigh yourself once or twice (or more) a day?
• Do you eat more than you planned to eat?
• Have you hidden food so that you would have it just for yourself?
• Have you ever felt angry when someone ate food you saved for yourself?
• Do you worry that you can't control how much you eat?
• Have you felt frantic about your size, shape or weight?
• How many methods of weight loss have you tried in the past? (i.e., self-induced vomiting, laxatives, diuretics, fasting, amphetamines, weight loss programs, etc.)
• Have you ever felt so ashamed of the amount you eat that you hide your eating?
• Have you been so upset about the way you eat that you wished you would die?
• Do you overeat more than twice a week?
• Do you invent plans in order to be alone to eat?
• Do you seek out companions who eat the way you do?

If the answers to these questions concern you, the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery at Proctor Hospital may be able to help. A free, confidential assessment may be done by a staff member trained specifically in identifying food addiction. This person will be able to determine if a problem with food exists and recommend a level of treatment.