Food addiction is much more common than 30 years ago, it’s an epidemic that’s also killing us. The numbers are so high they’re almost mind-numbing. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 65% of Americans are overweight or obese, and our children are facing the same epidemic. Over 17% of kids today are overweight, and that number is climbing higher each year. For the first time in 100 years life expectancy is predicted to go down, thanks in large part to America’s food addiction and the various health complications that come with it. Diabetes, cancer, hypertension, heart disease, and more than 25 other conditions have been linked to obesity. We’re literally eating ourselves to death, and bringing our kids along with us.
We shouldn’t be surprised, really. Americans work more hours than any other industrialized nation. We’re stressed out, time starved, and watching our health and vacation benefits slide down the tube. With as little time as most people have these days, companies make it almost too easy to self-medicate with food. Drive-thru’s are everywhere and meals-in-a-box fill the grocery store shelves, laden with empty calories and tasty goodness. We watch over 40,000 commercials per year, and many of those are for fast food restaurants, soft drinks, and snacks.
Since so many of us are turning to food to combat our stress, it may be hard to recognize a food addiction versus normal “snacking”. Compulsive overeaters often lose control when they’re eating, going on “binges” that can last hours. The average food addict is 60% overweight, and practices no form of weight-control. If you’re worried you might be a compulsive overeater, asking yourself the following questions will help clarify the problem:
o Have I tried and failed to control my eating before?
o Do I binge-eat, especially when I’m feeling angry or sad?
o Do I hide food?
o Do feel guilty when I’m done eating?
o Do I think about eating even when I’m not hungry?
o Do I eat until I feel sick?
A “yes” to any of these questions can point to the more serious problem of food addiction, especially if you are overweight or obese.
Nowhere in the country is food addiction more wide-spread than in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia. According to the CDC, these 3 states now have the highest incidents of obesity in the country with more than 30% prevalence in the population. States such as Texas, Michigan, Tennessee, and 10 others aren’t far behind.
The problem, while bad for us, is even worse for our children. The CDC estimates that instances of childhood obesity have tripled in the past 30 years in school-aged children. They are also less likely to have a healthy adulthood. Another study shows overweight or obese children have an 80% likelihood of being obese once they reach 25.
While the numbers are sobering, there are proactive steps you can take if you, your child, or someone you know is addicted to food.