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Food Addiction and Its Potential Links with Weight Stigma

  • Food Addiction (A Meule, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Weight stigma and discrimination are significant issues facing people who are overweight. There is growing acceptance that obesity is caused by a neurobiologically driven addiction to some foods. This review examines the evidence that obesity is due to a food addiction and the impact that this may have on attitudes towards excess weight.

Recent Findings

There is limited evidence that food addiction explanations may reduce external stigma and self-blame. However, these positives may come at the expense of adverse impacts on overweight person’s self-efficacy and eating. The “addict” label may also further exacerbate weight stigma.

Summary

Current research on the impact of food addiction explanations on stigma is scarce and inconsistent. There is almost no research examining the clinical impact of food addiction on self-efficacy, eating, or treatment seeking. More research clarifying these issues is essential given the growing acceptance of “food addiction” explanations in society.

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Funding

Dr. Puhl reports research funding from Weight Watchers, Inc., outside the submitted work.

Dr. Carter reports grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council during the conduct of the study.

Dr. Hardman reports grants from American Beverage Association, personal fees from International Sweeteners Association, outside the submitted work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences and the School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, 770 Blackburn Rd, Clayton Campus, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia

    Jessica Reid & Adrian Carter

  2. School of Social Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia

    Kerry S. O’Brien

  3. Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

    Rebecca Puhl

  4. Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

    Charlotte A. Hardman

  5. University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia

    Adrian Carter

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  1. Jessica Reid
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  2. Kerry S. O’Brien
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  4. Charlotte A. Hardman
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  5. Adrian Carter
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Correspondence to Adrian Carter.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Food Addiction

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Reid, J., O’Brien, K.S., Puhl, R. et al. Food Addiction and Its Potential Links with Weight Stigma. Curr Addict Rep 5, 192–201 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-018-0205-z

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