The Reinforcing Natures of Hyper-Palatable Foods: Behavioral Evidence for Their Reinforcing Properties and the Role of the US Food Industry in Promoting Their Availability

AbstractPurpose of ReviewHyper-palatable foods (HPF) may exploit our neurobiological propensities to seek and consume rewarding foods. The review highlights evidence from basic behavioral and neurobiological studies in humans on the reinforcing properties of HPF and consequences of repeated HPF consumption over time. The review also addresses HPF within the context of the US food environment.Recent FindingsThere is reasonably strong behavioral evidence to indicate that HPF may have reinforcing properties that are similar to drugs of abuse. Evidence indicates that healthy individuals may exhibit greater preference for HPF relative to non-HPF and that powerful cues may develop that indicate the presence of HPF as a reward. Preliminary evidence indicates that elevated HPF intake may yield neurobiological consequences for brain reward neurocircuitry. The US food environment provides wide and easy access to HPF. Conceptualized as a substance, HPF exist unregulated in our environment, similar to the tobacco availability in the 1940s. Parallels have been drawn between food and tobacco company practices; a review of industry documents indicates that tobacco companies owned major US food companies since the 1980s, possibly leading the development and proliferation of HPF.SummaryThere is reasonably strong evidence to indicate that HPF may have powerful reinforcing properties similar to drugs of abuse; however, more longitudinal work is needed.Critical attention to the factors and drive...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - Category: Addiction Source Type: research