In the early 1990s, there were only a handful of peer review articles suggesting that food substances can be addictive, Werdell says. In the scientific community, there's been a shift in thinking. Easier said than done he was not a food addict. A friend of mine once told me that the key to not overeating was to push oneself away from the dining-room table.
The idea that overeating is an addiction has yet to gain general acceptance. The first step was a huge one: I admitted I was powerless over food. HOW stands for honesty, openmindedness and willingness. Out of desperation to escape the agony of nightly overeating, I discovered an answer that worked for me: an Overeaters Anonymous program that uses the HOW format. We call it "abstinence." After decades of big weight gains, I've been maintaining a healthy weight (170 to 175 pounds) since 2002. But here's the kicker: Despite my food addiction, I no longer overeat. I went on many diets over the years and topped out at 253 pounds, which for my frame was obese.
#FOOD ADDICTS ANONYMOUS VS OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS PROFESSIONAL#
Philip Werdell, director of professional training at the Food Addiction Institute in Sarasota, Fla., estimates that about half our obese population are food addicts. How many are food addicts? The science is relatively new, but the fact that the large majority of dieters regain their weight suggests the number could be quite large. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight, and one-third are obese. I didn't realize that my inability to stop could constitute an addiction. Once started, the eating continued until I was in a food stupor. I binged on candy, fried foods and just plain volume. I overate for emotional reasons, but I also had a voracious physical craving. I knew what was nutritious and what wasn't. But the holidays between Thanksgiving and New Year's are special. As the world's medical professionals grapple with the surging problem of obesity, they should take into account that there may be a lot of people out there like me.