People born between 1960 and 1975 and living in high-income countries are increasingly likely to show signs of being hooked on highly processed food that they were the first generation to be exposed to as children.
A University of Michigan (UM) team found that 21% of women and 10% of men in this age bracket "meet criteria for addiction to these ultra-processed foods" after carrying out a study of around 2,000 people aged between 50 and 80.
"Ultra-processed food addiction appears to be prevalent among older adults in the United States, particularly among women who were in adolescence and early adulthood when the nutrient quality of the US food supply worsened," the team said in a paper published in the journal Addiction.
"Today’s older adults were in a key developmental period when our nation’s food environment changed," said Lucy Loch of UM.
Higher risk for diseases
Those at the upper end of the age bracket were far less likely to be addicted to snacks, sweet drinks and junk food, the team found.
"Among adults age 65 to 80, just 12% of women and 4% of men meet criteria for ultra-processed food addiction," the researchers said.
The team used a scale based on responses to questions about "13 experiences with ultra-processed foods and drinks," such as experiencing cravings, repeatedly falling short with attempts to cut down, being hit by withdrawal symptoms and dodging social events for fear of being seen as eating too much.
"With other research showing clear links between consumption of these foods and risk of chronic disease and premature death, it’s important to study addiction to ultra-processed foods in this age group," Loch said.
The researchers believe that aggressive 1980s advertising for so-called diet food, much of it ultra-processed, is likely a factor in explaining some of the addiction among older women.
"Low-fat cookies, microwaveable meals and other carbohydrate-heavy products were promoted as weight-control solutions, but their engineered nutrient profiles may have reinforced addictive eating patterns," the team claimed. – dpa
