Published on Monday, 16 June, 2014 at 17:44

A recent study by the University of Luxembourg has found that food addicts are lacking psychological inhibition.

In a food-related psychology test focused on women, researchers found that women with weight problems were more impulsive than average. They reacted more instinctively to images of food and scientists found that they were lacking contemplative will power. The inability to regulate oneself has been associated with a higher body mass index (BMI).

Some women also displayed another symptom of food addiction. They were craving food even though they had eaten recently.

Food addiction works in the same way as other addictive behaviour, scientists said. “All addictions are similar in that the sufferer craves to excess the feel-good buzz they receive from chemical neurotransmitters produced when they eat, gamble, smoke, have sex or take drugs,” explained Claus Voegele, Professor of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Luxembourg.

The results of the study were published on Frontiers in Psychology and are available here.