Food addiction affects a large number of individuals, even though it's not accepted as a true diagnosis (yet) in the medical profession. Using the Yale Food Addiction Scale, 5-10% of the general population test positive for food addiction. People with food addiction struggle with food obsessions, binging, body image issues and often experience depression and anxiety. Listed below are 5 things you may not know about food addiction that can help you gain perspective on this problem. Under each is a recommended practice to get you started on your journey to recovery.

Food is a source of pleasure for most people, and the source of pleasurable sensations originates in a part of the brain called the dopamine reward center. Dopamine is the brain chemical responsible for feelings of pleasure and reward. Anything that provides pleasure affects the dopamine reward center.

While eating disorders have long been considered a predominately “white woman” problem, recent findings show that eating disorders are becoming a major health issue for black women. In fact, binge eating occurs at higher rates in the black populations than white ones. Black women also binge more frequently than white women according to a recent study of two populations of white and black women. Obesity is also rising at an alarmingly fast rate for this group. Over the last 35 years, black women have reported rates of obesity prevalence at twice the rate of white women, and black and white males.