ABSTRACT
The processed food addiction (PFA) model is a relative newcomer to both the fields of eating disorders and substance use disorders (SUD). This chapter organizes the scientific evidence that demonstrates that the characteristics of overeating resemble those of drug addiction. It deals with similarities between overeaters and drug addicts, including neurofunctioning, cue reactivity, cognitive impairment, Pavlovian learning, genetics, conformance to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5) SUD criteria, behavioral syndromes, muted sense of taste, and comorbidities. The "Family Systems" section covers family system patterns, child neglect and abuse, as well as fetal syndromes. On the macro level, the PFA model could inform public education. Education about the addictive properties and consequences of processed food products could impact vast segments of obese cultures and encourage overeaters to change consumption patterns. Pathological overeating and chemical addictions are both physical and mental states with highly complex and extensive trait characteristics.
