Obsession with food: 7 habits that are red flags

Obsessions related to food are not only a characteristic of the presence of habits typical of eating disorders. diet, but they can also have a very negative impact on health even when a disorder has not developed. mental.

That's why, spotting the warning signs of food obsession It is very important to prevent the establishment of damaging habits, both physically and socially.

• You may be interested in: "The 10 most common eating disorders"

Why is it so easy to get hooked on food?

Starting to develop an obsession with food is easier than you might initially expect, especially for three reasons.

The first of these is that, in Western societies, edibles are very easily accessible, unlike legalized addictive substances such as alcohol or tobacco. Even in poor families, malnutrition problems are often caused by a lack of ability to eat a healthy diet, not a lack of groceries.

The second is that the food provides a good excuse to stop doing something and "unplug" briefly taking a trip to the kitchen. Even if it's just to stretch your legs after spending a long time in front of a computer or television screen, snacking between meals is a way to escape without having to depend on others.

The third and last reason has to do with the chemical composition of many of the ingredients with which a large part of the food products are made. The abusive use of refined sugar, for example, is extremely widespread, and its role is not other than to "hook" the consumer by offering him an instant reward for having tried the product.

• You may be interested in: "The 8 signs of alcohol addiction"

The signs that reveal an obsession with food

In general, the warning signs that warn of an obsession with food are the following.

1. Little planning of meal times

Throw away any pretense of following a fixed schedule for meals It is one of the signs of an obsession with food, although not in all cases, since it can also indicate a lack of time due to the amount of work you have.

However, when this pattern is associated with an obsession with food, the disorganization is very evident and can lead to eating at practically any time of the day or night; pretty much any time you're awake is a good time to go to the kitchen.

2. Meetings with friends as an excuse to eat

People who are obsessed with food don't tend to plan when they eat, but when they do eat to go to restaurants, they need an alibi. That's why with They often propose meetings with friends to go to restaurants for dinner., more times than normal and than others consider acceptable.

3. Food reserves are closely monitored

People obsessed with food They keep an eye on the amount of food they have. In addition, they make sure that there is a part of food that should not be cooked, and that therefore can be consumed instantly.

4. Mental traps to discount food

The obsession with food leads to eating a lot, but the person who experiences it makes up "rules" that allow you to believe that you have eaten less food of those who have actually eaten.

For example, you may start to believe that snacking doesn't count as eating, or that shakes aren't food and that drinking one is like drinking water.

5. Anxiety translates into trips to the fridge

Every time you experience a stressful situation, it leads to going immediately for something to eat, with virtually no delay. Food used as an escape tool to forget past problems and the discomfort they cause.

6. You think about food regularly

Other signs of obsession with food is think about her for a long time simply to experience a sensation similar to what one would notice when eating it. Follow blogs and profiles on social networks that show pictures of food (not as much as the recipes themselves) It is also common, although by itself it does not indicate any type of problem if it is not accompanied by other signs of alert.

7. Less time is spent cooking

People who are obsessed with food try not to expose themselves to situations where real edibles are nearby. that they cannot prove immediately, and instead of that they can eat or snack between meals at the time they want. This means that they spend less and less time cooking and prefer to buy ready-made food or go to restaurants directly.