Welsh Researcher Questions Evidence for Sugar Addiction

A recent study has reportedly questioned the current availability of scientific literature establishing evidence for physical sugar addiction in humans. David Benton, “The plausibility of sugar addiction and its role in obesity and eating disorders,” Clinical Nutrition, January 2010. David Benton, a psychology professor with the University of Swansea in Wales, apparently reviewed previous research on the role of sugar addiction in obesity and eating disorders. Noting a lack of scientific consensus on the term “addiction,” he construed sugar addiction to involve physical craving, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms, meaning that “Fasting should increase food cravings, predominantly for sweet items; cravings should occur after an overnight fast; the obese should find sweetness particularly attractive; a high-sugar consumption should predispose to obesity.” Using this definition, Benton apparently found “no support from the human literature for the hypothesis that sucrose may be physically addictive or that addiction to sugar plays a role in eating disorders.”

In addition, the author cautioned the general population about drawing conclusions from studies based on animal models, some of which have suggested the plausibility of sugar addiction in rats. “If addition to food can be established in humans there are widespread implications,” Benton wrote. “Dieting might not be the optimal response to obesity as it will lead to counter-regulatory mechanisms such as cravings and withdrawal symptoms… There are also potentially widespread implications for food manufacturers and the fast food industry.” See FoodNavigatorUSA.com, January 5, 2010.