I have to say that obesity is neither a disease or an addiction... However, obesity is a manifestation of an addiction to food, and can sometimes (but rarely) be a manifestation of a disease.
I am actually surprised that no one has mentioned the scientific evidence available that supports food addiction.
Food acts the same as any alcohol and drugs on the brain... it activates the same pathways in the brain and releases large amounts of dopamine (the pleasure neurotransmitter) which further reinforces the compulsion to eat. Pathways can be changed, but it is hard. Rarely can anything else be as instantly gratifying, calming, and pleasurable as food or drugs. This is where the obvious struggle comes in.
I know that I am addicted to food. I get high when I eat... its the same feeling that I got when I smoked weed years ago.
Food is a physiological addiction. Science is well on its way to proving that; the next step to take is in how we, as a society, treat people who are obese. It IS NOT A *WILLPOWER* PROBLEM. It is not laziness. It is a real problem that needs intensive treatment.

The problem here is that we're lumping all obesity together. Of course food addiction exists, but not all food addicts are overweight, and not all overweight or even obese people are food addicts. Food addiction can (but doesn't necessarily) cause obesity. Bulimics and anorexics may also be food addicts, and some obese individuals do not have a food addiction.
Trying to lump everyone together becomes misleading. Many of us have been duped by "one size fits all," claims made by weight loss "experts," and product manufacturers.

How an overweight compulsive eater or "food addict," goes about becoming healthier/losing weight is going to be very different from the person who has
put on weight because their activity level or metabolism has slowed down. Throw in the variables of medications, thyroid and other contributing illnesses or conditions, genetic factors, stress, ignorance of basic nutrition, poverty, social/ethnic norms, contributing illnesses, including mental illnesses, lifestyle pressures..... and it's easy to see why no single weight loss/lifestyle program works for everyone.

Because the causes of obesity are complex and many, the treatment has to be as just as multi-faceted. And because there are so many complex factors, we have to be patient with ourselves and others when the struggle is a lot harder than we imagined.

I agree with kaplods. It is such a complex issue......and with each individual it isn't even always straightfoward.

That's what's so frustrationg about encountering someone who has succeeded at losing weight (whether that success is ultimately permanent or not) and become zealots for the method(s) they've used, condemning all who have not "seen the light," as they have. And God forbid, if you've tried their method and it didn't work for you, well then you just didn't give it a chance, or somehow failed personally.

Don't get me wrong, I love to hear how other people have succeeded at losing weight or changing their eating and exercise habits, but when it turns judgemental, I just want to snap their heads off their newly tiny bodies.

Coming from a family history of alcoholism as well as an ex boyfriend that was 12 years in recovery, and my own OA journey, this is my experience exactly.

I've mentioned this in a past thread, but something that was said to me at a meeting in response to the "alcoholics don't have to drink the way we have to continue to eat" problem was that "Yes, we DO drink, we just don't drink everything!" It clicked for me then. I don't have to eat everything. As to food in general being an addiction, i'm not so sure about that.

For myself, i've found that I do have a physiological response to sugar. It's a fact, not a figment of my imagination. It's the same reason my diabetic boyfriend couldn't eat sugar. It makes my blood sugar levels spike making me crave that "rush", making me always want more. (Yes, I know it can be modified and adjusted with protein, fat and fiber) Once I removed sugar, flour and salt from my body (I believe there is a synergistic response) I no longer had those cravings. After 7 months of no struggle, I decided I wanted a "special" New Year's treat. I had some real natural ice cream and champagne. Let me tell you...it was all there all over again. It took me days of struggling to get past it. I don't think i'll be trying that again any time soon. It wasn't worth it! As they say, just sharing my experience, strength and hope!

I agree obesity is a state of being and individuals get there for different reasons. I also believe in the addictive personality. It can so easily be transferred. In my case, I have to watch my spending. It's a pattern in many people. We just have different ways of dealing with it.

I can honestly say that at this point of my journey I believe I am now more addicted to the weightLOSS then I ever was the food. I went from not caring even a little bit as to what I was putting in my mouth, the quantity or the quality to obsessing over every bite that now goes into my mouth - only high quality and small quantity (reasonable portions). I went from being almost completely sedentary to now exercising a lot, even to the point where I "sneak" it in at every hidden opportunity. I believe I just switched around my so called food "addiction" from the unhealthy to the healthy. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

HA! - thanks kap! - that's the best laugh I've had all day!

This is why I always say that "different things work for different people." I have tried several well-known diets that have been given the thumbs up from dieticians, celebrities, etc. & I really committed myself, yet SOMEHOW it didn't work for me.

I am currently on South Beach Diet. This Tuesday I will have completed Phase 1 but I have yet to lose the "8-13 pounds!" they claim you can lose during Phase 1, which is the first two weeks of the diet. Why not? Why haven't I lost even 2 measly pounds???? I'm really not sure! - but I AM TOTALLY doing Phase 1 exactly as it's laid out in the book! Therefore apparently something is koo-koo with my body. I believe it to be the anti-depressant I'm currently taking, which I completely believe is the reason I gained 20 of the 40 pounds I am trying to lose. HOWEVER - I am not willing to give up yet. So I will do two more weeks at Phase 1 - If it DOES work, well then naturally I'd proceed to Phase 2. And if that doesn't start peeling off the pounds, I will give it up & try something different.

The last two times I have lost weight has been through diet & exercise. The diet has been "self tailored" - something I put together myself & followed quite nicely. I still believe the best diet for anyone is a self-made diet. Take a tip from here, throw in some advice from there, remember what worked & what didn't work the last time... KaBoom! - you've got yourself a Self-Made Diet. The reason I believe these to be the best diets is because only YOU truly know your body. YOU know what you are willing to give up, what you are willing to cut down on, & what you are never willing to let go. My last weight loss (from 160 down to 138 in about 3.5 months) was me getting crazy with the raw cut veggies & lots of fruit. I still ate lean meat, poultry, seafood, etc. I still had the occasional dessert (usually a Jell-O SF Pudding with Lite Cool Whip) and still drank frozen margaritas at the beach. I gave up white flour products (bread, pasta, etc.) and I was OK with that.

I exercised 1.5 -2hrs 4x/week. 45 min treadmill climbs, & 30-45 minutes weight lifting sessions. I was in good shape & was 3 pounds from my goal weight (135) when I re-injured my rotator cuff that I had surgery on 3 years prior. I couldn't lift weights, I couldn't even treadmill (natural arm swinging motion really hurt!!!) - so I quit exercising while I went through PT with my shoulder. Then I started pulling muscles left & right & my neck & back hurt a lot. That's when my doc took more x-rays & saw that I have osteoarthritis starting up in my neck & my lower back & hip joints.

I eventually quit exercising all together. THAT led to overeating & soon I was depressed & I've hit perimenopause. Hot flashes, raging hormones, fatigue, etc. I had gained 20 pounds back of what I had lost by not exercising & eating kinda crazy (popcorn for dinner, anyone?). But I was spiraling further & further into depression, & the meds my doc prescribed wasn't helping AT ALL! - so we switched meds. I was soon feeling like my old self again - happy-go-lucky, with that "I-can-do-anything-I-set-my-mind-to" attitude. I started eating healthier again, and walking a little (still watching that back pain) & yet I gained 20 pounds. Hello? I'm sane now, but fatter.

I think addiction IS a disease. I didn't use to think that way. When my dad was an alcoholic, it took me a long time to realize that he couldn't "just stop" drinking. The DISEASE is a mental type of disease. The ADDICTION is what the disease uses to keep itself alive. There are soooooo many studies out there that support this, including a new one I just read the other day that explained a man who was a heavy smoker was accidentally electrocuted (he almost died!) and when he came out of his near-death experience, he no longer had ANY DESIRE TO SMOKE. Scientists figured "hey, better study this!" and they found out that there is a part of the brain that is "more lit up" on that color-scan-brain-screen thingy of those who want to smoke (or drink or eat too much or gamble or shop or exercise too much, etc.) than the color screens of those who had no desire to "fulfill their addiction."

Interesting, no? I think so.

I just came across this article that reminded me of this previous discussion (which is now gettting bumped up). It's not terribly informative, but the last line expresses a key question of our discussion.

"Study: Binging a common eating disorder

By JESSE HARLAN ALDERMAN, Associated Press Writer
Thu Feb 1, 2:43 AM ET

BOSTON - Frequent binge eating is the country's most common eating disorder, far outpacing the better-known diet problems of anorexia and bulimia, according to a national survey.

Psychiatric researchers at Harvard University Medical School and its affiliate, McLean Psychiatric Hospital, have billed the study as the first national census of eating disorders. The results were published Thursday in the medical journal Biological Psychiatry.

The survey found that 3.5 percent of women and 2 percent of men suffer from binge eating, defined as bouts of uncontrolled eating, well past the point of being full, that occur at least twice a week.

The doctors diagnosed fewer than 1 percent of women and 0.3 percent of men with anorexia, a disorder where an exaggerated fear of weight gain causes undereating and malnourishment. The study determined that 1.5 percent of women and 0.5 percent of men had bulimia, characterized by the "binge-purge" syndrome of overeating followed by vomiting.

McLean Hospital's Dr. Harrison Pope, an author of the study, said binge eaters face severe risk of obesity and related diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain cancers.

A binge eater, for instance, might eat a full dinner, then a quart of ice cream for dessert, followed by a bag of chips, without being able to stop, Pope said.

"It's a little bit analogous to something you hear from an alcoholic, when they might say, 'Well, I wanted to have one drink,' and they've had 12 drinks and they're passed out on the floor," he said in a conference call with reporters. "Even though they feel full, even though they feel disgusting and guilty, they can't stop."

Dr. James I. Hudson, the study's lead author and a Harvard Medical School psychiatry professor, said binge eating deserves more recognition from health professionals.

"These results argue that binge eating is common. It's more common than both the other eating disorders combined and it's strongly associated with obesity," he said. "Taken together, these findings suggest that this is an eating disorder and should be treated as such."

Funding for the study came from several sources, including the National Institutes of Health, Eli Lilly & Co. and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Hudson said the research team interviewed more than 9,000 people nationwide from 2001 to 2003 about their eating habits and psychological backgrounds. The study probably underestimates the actual number of those with eating disorders, he said, because people are often ashamed to acknowledge their abnormal eating habits.

The survey also found that people struggle longer with binge eating — symptoms persist for an average of about eight years compared to less than two years for anorexic patients, who are often young and may recover as they mature. Bulimics suffer without cure for an average of roughly eight years, according to the study.

Men and women between the ages of 18 and 29 were most likely to be diagnosed with an eating disorder, while people older than 60 had the lowest rates of eating problems. The doctors said all three illnesses usually coincided with mood disorders like depression and anxiety.

A combination of the "cultural barrage" of images of rail-thin movie stars, ubiquitous fast-food advertising and genetic predisposition is usually the root of eating disorders, the study said.

Dr. B. Timothy Walsh, director of the eating disorders research unit at the New York State Psychiatric Hospital at Columbia University Medical Center, said the study confirms a widespread belief that the population of binge eaters is growing. He said if binge eating is a cause of obesity, psychiatrists could give more effective treatment to many overweight people.

"Everyone has a sense, whether from a casual inspection of people on Broadway or an empirical study, that there are a lot of problems with binge eating and overeating," he said. "The question is, is it a cause or a symptom?" "

I agree with this. I realize I'm in a small minority, but I don't believe in addiction as a discrete entity. I believe in degrees of habituation. Granted, some habits can be VERY entrenched, but none of them are beyond our control. If any of us were told, "Either you stop overeating or you'll be shot at the end of the month," we would all manage to do it.

I also agree with the doctor who said that pills don't cause weight gain. They may cause hunger, which can lead to overeating, or they may cause fatigue, which can lead to inactivity -- but here again there's some volition involved.

Some people may find these views to be harsh, but I find them liberating because they foster a sense of agency and control.

F.

I agree with this, so I suppose I'm in the minority as well.

EXCELLENT point.

I agree for the most part.

With exception of those that have psych disorders and need medical intervention to overcome self-harm (severe binge/anorexia/bulimia) it is within majority of us to quit smoking, drinking, over eating, or anything else we no longer want in our lives if we really want it bad enough.

Otherwise yes, labels only warrant excuses. For majority of people that are overweight it is nothing more than a bad eating habits and sedentary lifestyle.

Well not to be a smart @ss but if people eat at a deficit they will lose. It's that simple. Willpower is another story but you get my point.

Fat is a nutrient, a very important nutrient. Fat plays a very important roll in our health. Without fat your body cannot absorb many nutrients from food. It also helps to keep you full. It provides lots of nutrients on its own and is responsible for making your skin, hair, and nails strong and healthy. There are many different types of fat, it's best to stay away from fried foods and too many animal fats. But the type of fat that is found in fish, olive oil, nuts, avocados is extremely healthy and important in your diet.

This is what I believe. That the root of obesity (not a few extra pounds, but truy obesity) is addiction. And as stated, other addictions like alcohol is viewed as a disease, so ...

I am neither a doctor nor a nutritionist but I find this to be very thought provoking, check it out.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/...ticle16370893/