Click here to download the PDF with instructions on how to submit your opinion.

Today I have an update on the HUGE international effort to get food addiction into the ICD. That’s the International Classification of Diseases, which is the World Health Organization’s manual of mental and physical disorders and diseases. It’s used by doctors around the world. 

Food Addiction is REAL—But Unrecognized For a Variety of Reasons

There are thousands of studies now verifying that food addiction is real. In fact, the earliest studies of addiction weren’t done with cocaine or alcohol—they were done with glucose. We’ve known that refined carbohydrates are addictive for decades. 

There are a few reasons why this disorder is not recognized. First, there haven’t been many studies on treatment. It’s hard to publish studies on treatment when there’s no official diagnosis—a real chicken-and-egg problem. 

Also, there’s lobbying from the other side. Big Food does not want this diagnosis. That’s also true for the eating disorder community, which believes that abstinence is bad and moderation is the only healthy way to eat. 

But we are at a critical juncture, and there’s something that you can do to help. The ICD is asking for feedback on our application to be included in the ICD. I just left a comment, and you can too. 

We’ve Been Working Towards Recognition Since 2021

Some background: In 2021, a group of researchers, therapists, and others put together an application to get food addiction into the ICD. They later received a very thoughtful rejection. 

The rejection said that there wasn’t enough research on treatment, which was fair, and that the symptoms were adequately accounted for by existing diagnoses, which wasn’t fair. 

They also said there wasn’t significant agreement or consensus on the issue. That was very fair, so it was decided that we would work to build widespread consensus. 

We decided it should be called ultra-processed food addiction, or—for the ICD—ultra-processed food use disorder, to align with their naming protocols. We identified key features, including the necessity for abstinence. All that led to a conference in London called the International Food Addiction Consensus Conference and a consensus paper published in Frontiers in Psychiatry. 

Going forward, the name of the conference has changed slightly to the International Food Addiction and Comorbidities Conference (IFACC). We’re looping in studies on comorbidities: how food addiction relates to diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and other conditions. 

Here’s How You Can Help This International Effort

I’m just back from London from the second IFACC, and the exciting news is that our application is being reviewed, and there is a website soliciting feedback. It’s open to everyone, not just professionals—if you’ve been impacted by food addiction or know someone who has, you are welcome to comment.

I’ve created a PDF with instructions on how to submit your opinion. It’s below this vlog. 

We want to have 500 comments. Right now, there are 20-30. But I think with our Bright Line community, we can blow them out of the water. 

You’ll need to create a profile on the website and agree or disagree with some statements. I agreed to all except one, the one that said that carbohydrate addiction was a synonym. If it said refined carbohydrates, yes. But I do not want people thinking that apples, bananas, carrots, and oatmeal are highly addictive. If you find that those foods send you bingeing, you may disagree with me and want to click “agree” by that term, too. And that’s fine.  

Your Voice is Important!

There are a couple of reasons we need this diagnosis added to the ICD. One is that without it, we’re missing the notion of abstinence from certain foods in treatment protocols. There’s no reason for abstinence unless we consider these foods addictive.

Another reason is that we need more treatment options and for treatment to be covered by insurance. A third is that I believe addiction is underlying a lot of our global obesity issues. Even people on GLP-1s may not be able to eat sugar and get where they want to be. 

Whatever you want to say in your comments is fine. This is our big opportunity. It’s not often you get to make a difference at an international level. We are living in the dark ages as far as global understanding of this disorder, but it’s fun to watch the dawn happening. 

Thank you for being in the vanguard. Check out the PDF for instructions on adding your voice to the mix. And consider passing around the PDF to others who are like-minded. Seriously—consider spending a few minutes forwarding the PDF with instructions to people you know who might take a moment to leave a comment. This is important. History is being made. Thank you, and I love you.