The Food Addiction Crisis: Why Millions Can’t Stop Eating Sugar | Jen Unwin

Summary

Clinical psychologist Jen Unwin argues that, for some people, losing control around sugar and ultra-processed foods is better understood as an addictive pattern—not simply a lack of willpower. Highly palatable foods can strongly activate reward and motivation systems, while modern food environments make them easy to encounter and consume.

Unwin stresses that vulnerability varies. Enjoying a treat is not the same as having a harmful, compulsive relationship with food.

Addiction involves more than the substance itself. Cues, routines, social settings, emotional distress, and using food for comfort can all play a part. Advice should also be individualized: some people may benefit from reducing or abstaining from specific trigger foods, while others may need to address excessive restriction or inadequate nourishment.

Unwin and host Dr Rangan Chatterjee discuss the lack of a recognized food-addiction diagnosis, as well as Unwin’s efforts to secure formal recognition and better access to treatment.

Strategies and techniques discussed

• Check for signs of an addictive pattern using “CRAVED.” Unwin describes this as a screening framework adapted from substance-use-disorder symptoms, not a formal diagnosis. The six signs are:
  • C — Cravings and compulsions: Urges that feel difficult to resist.
  • R — Reaching for more: Needing more to get the same effect.
  • A — Activities neglected: Food preoccupation or secrecy affecting relationships, work, or other activities.
  • V — Volume: Losing control over how much is eaten.
  • E — Exclusion: Withdrawal-like symptoms when stopping, such as headaches, mood or sleep changes, or gastrointestinal problems.
  • D — Despite damage: Continuing despite known harm.

Unwin says three or more signs may indicate addictive-like symptoms and warrant further consideration.

• Identify your own triggers. Write down foods that prompt cravings, loss of control, or repeated attempts to cut back. Unwin suggests asking, “I know I’m in trouble when…”—for example, when you start opening cupboards without being hungry. Writing this down can help you recognize patterns and plan before a craving takes hold.

• Connect change to a meaningful goal. Rather than relying only on “I want to lose weight,” identify what better health would make possible, such as having more energy for family, improving wellbeing, or taking part in activities you value.

• Plan ahead for predictable challenges. Decide in advance how you’ll respond to workplace treats, social occasions, travel, or food offered by friends. Rehearse a short, comfortable response with someone supportive so you’re not improvising under pressure.

• Shape the environment you can control. If you’re trying to avoid particular trigger foods, consider not buying them, keeping your own food in a separate cupboard or shelf, or negotiating how other household members store theirs. Reducing cues at home can make change easier than relying on willpower at every moment.

• Choose a pace that suits you. Some people may prefer gradual reduction; others may find complete abstinence from specific trigger foods clearer and more manageable. Unwin says each approach has trade-offs. Anyone taking medication for diabetes or blood pressure should consult a healthcare professional before making a major dietary change, especially a sudden one.

• Prioritize nourishment, not under-eating. Replace problematic foods with satisfying, nutrient-dense meals, and avoid excessively restricting essential nutrients or calories. A more protein-rich breakfast, such as eggs or full-fat yogurt instead of sugary cereal, is one possible starting point. Regular, adequate meals may also help with cravings.

• Address emotional and behavioral needs as well as food. If eating is used for comfort, stress relief, or coping with difficult experiences, consider other supports and activities. Unwin mentions exercise, yoga, calming hobbies such as knitting or crochet, and support from others.

• Treat slips as information, not proof of failure. Look at what led up to the episode, consider what might help next time, and return to your plan promptly rather than responding with shame or giving up.

• Seek support. Unwin recommends finding a supportive person, group, or structured program rather than trying to manage a serious problem alone. Group discussion can help people share practical ways to handle social pressure.

• For children, make the home environment supportive. Suggestions include limiting tempting foods at home, involving children in preparing food, offering non-food activities for celebrations, and helping them notice how different foods affect how they feel—without blaming parents for past choices.

• Consider tools as optional feedback. Chatterjee mentions continuous glucose monitors as a possible short-term way for some people to notice how meals relate to glucose patterns and cravings. This is presented as an individual learning tool, not a universal solution.

Presenters and sources mentioned

Presenters

• Dr Rangan Chatterjee — host
• Dr Jen Unwin — clinical psychologist and guest

Other people, works, and organizations referenced

• World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)
• Collaborative Health Community
• Fork in the Road — Jen Unwin
• Michael Moss — Hooked
• Daniel Lieberman and the Hadza
• Ken Berry
• Gabor Maté
• Chris van Tulleken
• Rob Lustig
• Michael Pollan
• Nir Eyal — Beyond Belief
• Dale Bredesen
• Dr David Unwin
• Eric Clapton
• A patient named Chris, discussed as an example