Highly processed foods can be considered addictive substances based on established scientific criteria.
Ashley Nicole GearhardtAlexandra G DiFeliceantonioPublished in: Addiction (Abingdon, England) (2022)
Highly processed foods (HPFs) can meet the criteria to be labeled as addictive substances using the standards set for tobacco products. The addictive potential of HPFs may be a key factor contributing to the high public health costs associated with a food environment dominated by cheap, accessible and heavily marketed HPFs.