Are most obese people addicted to food or do they

Lleldiranne

I remember Oprah saying once that if being over weight was just because we didn't have the right information, we'd all be thin. Most people who are overweight have other issues, whether it's emotional eating, difficulty in breaking bad habits, or something else. I know that in my family, one person is an admitted emotional eater (and his kids are now, too), another feels like it's no longer in her control - eats whatever is served her and lets circumstances keep her from exercise-, another refuses to accept consequences of any actions including what goes in his mouth, and another thinks her body is just meant to be that way and that she feels better eating everything she wants.

These are just some of the issues that have kept any of us from losing weight in the past. Most people deal with self-esteem issues on some level, too (and not just overweight people!). And it's hard to change a habit that seems to have served us well for so long. Which is why we end up here, in many cases - just needing someone who understands what we're going through and who can give us the encouragement to keep going even when it's hard, and to pick up and start again when we fall.

Lleldiranne

It was not an addiciton for me, nor was it emotional eating - for me it was the brain washing from my parents growing up that I must eat all on my plate. Even if I was full and didnt want it, I had to clear my plate. That was my problem. I'm not addicited to anything, not even nicotine anymore Allen Carr's Easy Way for me). Though I do love buying clothes and baby clothes for my new son.

We always had proper home cooked food, I never came home from school, to a sandwich or a crappy beans on toast - I came home to meat/2 veg. But the portions were adult sizes.

I feel this was because my mum grew up in a very poor large family - as was the case in 1940's North of England - big families, little food. And therefore she thought she was looking after her family and showing love by feeding us up. Both my mum and dad were hard working loving parents who brought us up very well, but mum would over feed us. Not crap food, but over feed us on home cooked proper dinners.

So no obession, additiction, emotional eating, or lack of self control for me - but being made to believe I had to clear my plate. It took me a long time to learn I didnt have to. And even now at 38 yrs old I sometimes get nervous that I havent cleared my plate! It's almost like you are doing something wrong, juvenile brain washing is very strong and can be long lasting.

This ^^
I'm sure it affects a lot of people, even young people today! I have had to step in when my MIL or my brother gets after my kids for not finishing their food. I want them to learn to listen to their bodies' cues and stop when their full. I don't care much for wasting food, but eating something that your body doesn't need is no less wasting that throwing it in the garbage.
For pity sake ... even if a child serves himself too much, it's not appropriate to teach them to serve less by expecting them to eat everything! (I've heard this from MIL :grumble: ). I try to watch my kids and help them take small portions, but there are even days when I think I want more then decide I'm done halfway through.
(BTW, there are many parents out there who are heading toward overweight because the finish what their kids leave behind to avoid wasting it. This was a bad habit I had, too, and have had to work on it!!)

espinozAgal

It's so easy to transfer an addiction from one thing to another. I was addicted to food... now I'm addicted to dieting. It's a control issue. When I feel I have no control over a situation in life, I find something I can control. For a long time it was food... then I got huge and felt horrible and out of control... so I now control every little bit of food that goes into my mouth, almost to an annoying amount. Another example... the past couple weeks I feel I have no control over where my life is headed because I'm looking for a job, and if I get the job I want we will have to move 4 hours away. I need to find out within the next two weeks because the kids start school. It's almost too much... and it's all up in the air. So instead of relax and let the cards fall where they may, I'm drinking more. I can throw back a bottle of wine by myself no problem. Not good... I know.

EdensMummy

For me it's because I was raised in a family where food was a big part of our culture -- it was about eating A LOT at every gathering, which then turned into just eating a lot in general. Most of our events focus around food (brunch at my uncle's house, dinner at my grandmother's, etc.) and so I've always associated food with family and happiness and until I got so big and realized it was a problem I always thought it was awesome I could eat so much as a girl.

So I just love food. It's not that I'm addicted. It's that I just love that part of my life. I look forward to meals. I just need to think before I eat so I can be healthy.

Same for me. Culturally, food for us is a reward, every holiday/celebration is absolutely about food. Aside from that though, I just love to cook, I love to eat, alot of my socialising is around food (brunches, lunches, dinners out) and when I started living with my husband I just dished up the same sized portions for us both. Added to the fact that I'm really small (4ft 11 inches) I just can't carry the weight...every lb I gained over the last few years has been so obvious because I'm so tiny!

The food I cook is always fresh and from scratch and healthy enough, but in the volumes I eat it, I have just packed on the pounds!

I think some people are addicted to food and there are emotional reasons as to why they overeat - albeit low self-esteem or self-loathing etc but for me it's just been about eating too much out of pure enjoyment and not exercising enough (or at all!)

Real_Cool_Hand

Super torn on this topic because I think a lot of obese people choose the "I'm fat and its too hard to get fit" mindset so they continue to eat whatever they want. This could probably be seen as an "addiction" but I don't think of it that way.
The reason I do struggle with this though, is because I have felt like I was "addicted" to food also. I can "diet" for 2-3 days, and I end up binging on foods I KNOW I shouldn't be touching. Its a feeling of "I NEED to eat this". Its always on my mind. And when I am depressed or upset, I eat. And when I am bored, I eat. Same way I used to smoke - I did it out of boredom.
Unfortunately, I think food addiction has become a popular excuse for people as well though. While I agree some people can actually struggle with this, I think it is almost "accepted" to call it an addiction now and say you can't help it, rather than own up and start changing your lifestyle. With our fast paced society and our economic struggles, we all know grabbing a burger is much faster and even cheaper than preparing a balanced meal. But laziness and an addiction are not the same thing. Just as "curvy" and overweight are becoming the same term. It makes me crazy.
Healthy is not easy. That's why I am here. But we need to see the differences.
That's my opinion anyhow.

espinozAgal

Super torn on this topic because I think a lot of obese people choose the "I'm fat and its too hard to get fit" mindset so they continue to eat whatever they want. This could probably be seen as an "addiction" but I don't think of it that way.
The reason I do struggle with this though, is because I have felt like I was "addicted" to food also. I can "diet" for 2-3 days, and I end up binging on foods I KNOW I shouldn't be touching. Its a feeling of "I NEED to eat this". Its always on my mind. And when I am depressed or upset, I eat. And when I am bored, I eat. Same way I used to smoke - I did it out of boredom.
Unfortunately, I think food addiction has become a popular excuse for people as well though. While I agree some people can actually struggle with this, I think it is almost "accepted" to call it an addiction now and say you can't help it, rather than own up and start changing your lifestyle. With our fast paced society and our economic struggles, we all know grabbing a burger is much faster and even cheaper than preparing a balanced meal. But laziness and an addiction are not the same thing. Just as "curvy" and overweight are becoming the same term. It makes me crazy.
Healthy is not easy. That's why I am here. But we need to see the differences.
That's my opinion anyhow.

Awesome response!!

SunshineKisses_2012

I think it is a person by person thing. For me, it is a mix of genetics (obesity on both sides of the family - no one skinny unless they are on drugs - so addiction is in there as well), loving food, and eating my feelings. I have struggled with it my whole life and my family hasn't been the most supportive. Anytime I tell them I'm trying to lose weight, there are jabs here and there that really hurt me. In the past, that made me go back to eating. This time that is not going to happen. I have had to mentally prepare myself for this. There are still moments that I start freaking out, but that is why I love MFP so much. There are so many supportive people on here that it's difficult not to feel hopeful that I'm finally going to dig my way out of this hole.

arh0117

I am obese, and I don't have an addiction to food, I just love to eat!! LOL I know I don't have an addiction because I have done the starvation thing, and not just for a week, I'm talking three months. But, I absolutley love the taste and flavor of foods, mostly foods that are not good, i.e. ice cream, cakes, cookies, candy, red meat, potatoes, ranch dressing, mayonaise, pizza, Mexican, pastas, and I could go on and on. My biggest hurdle right now is balancing my diet. My husband and I rarely ever eat anything fried, I have cut out most sweets, (I do get the skinny cow and weight watchers treats though) and I try to eat lite or fat free items. They taste mostly the same and I don't feel like I am depriving myself of the foods I love. Another thing I have to stop doing is eating out as much, which should be easy because I am now broke due to buying books/supplies for nursing school! LOL As far as an emotional connection, I drink when I am sad, happy, angry, etc. which also has tons of calories and bad effects onyour health. However, since I married my husband, my emotions have been stable, and I don't drink as much as I used too in college and the years immediatley following. Not real sure if this answers your question, but for some people is not not an addiction, it is a love of food.

ADTeachTX

For me it is an addition that makes me eat a lot. I have a contast battle within myself everyday about food the way that most addicts have with their drug of choice. This site might be just the AA I need.

Julijulz

It is definitely proven that you can get addicted to food. Food triggers dopamine receptors in the brain, just like any addictive drug. Sometimes people can abuse food just like they do drugs and I can see where that would make someone obese and they couldn't help it. But this is a controversial subject. I would just like to offer my tad bit of knowledge. I learned this in Anatomy 101.

tmarie2715

I don't think I have a food addiction....but I absolutely LOVE to eat. I love to grocery shop, I love to prepare food, I think about food all the time, I wake up in the morning and think about what I'm going to enjoy at every meal....so what makes me different from someone who is obese (besides the obvious reason that I'm not)?

That is me! I do the exact same thing. I am totally obsessed with food, just in kind of an opposite way than someone who overeats.

I accidently also took out your question at the end, which was how do you know you won't turn into your aunt in 20 years?

I think that knowing that could be you, being concerned with your health and fitness are what is going to make the difference. We're not doomed to repeat everything in our family history. My dad's side of the family struggle with weight issues. Out of the three girls my dad had, all of us are thin. Make the choices, do the work.

Thanks for such a great thread!

bjshooter

I think people really just don't realise how many calories they are eating and eating rubbish food doesnt fill you up, so you eat more.

crazynay96

I think people really just don't realise how many calories they are eating and eating rubbish food doesnt fill you up, so you eat more.

EXACTLY ... which is why I said education is half the battle.

like i said, for a long time I thought I was making a better choice eating a sub, which I honestly preferred, than going to a burger joint... hahahahaha I could have eaten 2 big macs and fries for what I was putting into my body with that italian sub!

calliope_music

a lot of it for me is emotional eating. i think i'm getting better but who really knows...and i think i have an honest addiction to sugar which i'm trying to break. i wouldn't necessarily say i'm addicted to food, but i'm not in the position to say that i am or i'm not.

drakeshattuck

Go to Hulu and watch the documentary "Chow Down". I think that you all should stop beating yourselves up over your weight. You are just participating in the normal way of American eating. Some will get fat, others disease. It is just in the way the diet expresses its self with you. No doubt we have to change the diet if we want to be healthy. But fat or thin, if you are not going against the trend you are getting sick too. Some sooner, some later, some fat and some looking good with a ticking time bombs like heart disease or cancer in their futures.

Whatareherthings711

Eating became an activity for me over the past few years, something to do to fill the time. It's not that I'm addicted, it's just that I don't really have anything to do. That's what my problem was.

maidentl

@drakeshttuck: Thanks for that, I will check it out. I absolutely agree with you. Our food industry is now chock full of crap. It's so easy to point the finger at the fat ones and blame them for their fatness, but the truth is, almost everyone is eating this stuff. And for those struggling to buy food, the sad reality is that the crap is cheaper. Even people who can afford to eat better, often don't, driven to find a "bargain."

RainyDayKelli

Although I understand that eating can be an addiction for some people, I can honestly say mine is not the case. I am obese (sw: 303) because I ate a lot of the wrong things and was too lazy to do anything, much less exercise. I would just eat whatever came to mind. Not because I was hungry, not because I was craving it, but because something would pop into my head, and it sounded good, so I ate it. Usually a lot of it.

Another misconception I've noticed is that a lot of the time, people assume that obese people eat a lot of sweets. It is the opposite for me. I rarely eat sweets at all. I don't like them and they make me feel bad physically.

seriousaboutlife

I'm definitely a stress binge eater. I was overweight my whole life. In 2004, my then 2 year old son was diagnosed with leukemia. After his diagnosis, and things were going well, I lost a total of 80 lbs. Then... BAM... we heard of his relapse in 2005. I gained 50 of the 80 lbs back. Now... I'm on thyroid meds and it's harder (MUCH HARDER) to lose the weight. But I'm here... and I'm trying my darndest!

sauerkrautpolka

Although I understand that eating can be an addiction for some people, I can honestly say mine is not the case. I am obese (sw: 303) because I ate a lot of the wrong things and was too lazy to do anything, much less exercise. I would just eat whatever came to mind. Not because I was hungry, not because I was craving it, but because something would pop into my head, and it sounded good, so I ate it. Usually a lot of it.

Another misconception I've noticed is that a lot of the time, people assume that obese people eat a lot of sweets. It is the opposite for me. I rarely eat sweets at all. I don't like them and they make me feel bad physically.

This is me also. I ate only one meal a day at times.. but a lot of times (okay, probably 99% of the time) the meal would be extremely unhealthy. Also, I had a huge love for beer.. so yes, probably an alcohol addiction, but not addicted to eating food.. just the wrong kinds. I've also been pretty sedentary for the past 10 years or so. I'm still struggling with that (damn video games), even though I'm eating much healthier.

patrick323

I think, based on the amazingly VAST number of reasons that, clearly there are a VAST amount of reasons. So many in fact that even I find myself baffled and I have to come to the conclusion that they are mostly justifications and not reasons. Other than legitimate medical reasons (i'm skeptical of modern medicine though) there ARE certain reasons and likely only a few possible ones at that.

I was most struck by the non U.S. citizen's comment and it's a good insight into the real reasons. There are some universal facts as to why there are more obese people in the U.S than anywhere else. There are people with obsessive issues, dependency issues, lack of time leading to convenience foods, self-esteem issues, or the great number of all issues mentioned.. all over the world. Why does it manifest itself here in the U.S. more than most places? Or even certain areas of the U.S. more than others?
.
1. Our commercialized, maximum profit goal oriented, food industry.
It's a horrid, shady business ranging from the publicity of it to the manufacturing of it to the downright hazardous nature of a lot of our foods. Not just fast food which is, of course, disgusting but even the things people often think are perfectly healthy which are quite the opposite. Lack of knowledge certainly comes into play. People are not educated about portions/calories, etc. etc.. Sure, there are good healthy alternatives for people but they cost far more than the commercialized foods and are certainly more rare it seems. They also require a bit of exposure to all the evils OF the food industry.

2. Our lazy lives.
We don't walk in our daily lives. Unless you live in the middle of a major metropolitan area you are driving everywhere, all day. Our lives are extremely sedentary and everything, it seems, is geared towards making us even more so. Want to know who's not obese here where I live? The mexican immigrants outside busing their *kitten*!! I could be wrong here but based on my limited travels; I think that the majority of citizens in other countries live in major cities with limited space and high populations which require a lot of walking every day. I commute an average of 75 miles a day (I live in giant texas, that's not such a common commute). I cant possibly walk that.


The combination of these two things are a breeding ground for every single reason I've seen in this thread to manifest itself in obesity but what do i know? Well, a lot as it turns out and I'm finally going with that. I'm most certainly medically "obese." I've been fortunate to carry myself well, maintain athletic ability (when I would rarely use it), no medical conditions ever, etc. etc. it just kinda went that direction. I have had an ever-growing interest in healthy eating and living. It's only when addressing these 2 big issues (quality of food/counteracting a life geared towards inactivity) that I finally feel confident in reclaiming my fitness. Unfortunately for a lot of people it has taken so long for certain things to come to light that the task of taking off the weight becomes another issue altogether and that's when the real questions come ... "what works for them?" Not "why are they that way." Me? I could be eating but no, i'm typing a lot. HA!