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New research suggests eating highly processed foods can trigger addictive behaviours comparable to consuming alcohol or tobacco products.

Researchers from Michigan University analysed 281 studies from 36 countries and discovered 14% of adults and 12% of children displayed signs of being addicted to ultra-processed foods such as crisps and sweets and other foods high in salt, sugar and fat.

Those addictions were on the same levels as the ones for alcohol and tobacco, the study found.

Professor Ashley Gearhardt is the lead author of the study. She told Newsday: 鈥淐ountries like the United Kingdom and the United States, that have environments that are particularly dominated by ultra-processed foods鈥�are where we are seeing higher levels of this addictive pattern of intake.鈥�

She is particularly concerned about 鈥渄eveloping countries that are going through this really rapid nutrition transition鈥�ultra-processed foods are starting to take over there in ways that are displacing real, natural, typically culturally relevant foods. As we鈥檙e seeing these ultra-processed foods start to dominate, we鈥檙e seeing that the loss of control, the diet-related disease, the inability to cut down, is coming along with it so it鈥檚 going to be a growing problem.鈥�

(Picture: Shows a still life of sweets and cakes. Credit: Getty Images.)

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