From the Guidelines
The best treatment for food addiction involves a comprehensive approach combining therapy, lifestyle changes, and support systems, with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) being particularly effective, as recommended by the American Psychiatric Association 1.
Key Components of Treatment
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to identify triggers and develop healthier coping mechanisms
- Working with a registered dietitian to establish regular, balanced eating patterns
- Mindful eating practices to focus on hunger cues, eating slowly, and appreciating food
- Support groups like Overeaters Anonymous or Food Addicts Anonymous for community understanding and accountability
Medications
- Bupropion (Wellbutrin, 150-300mg daily) to reduce food cravings
- Naltrexone (50mg daily) to diminish the pleasure associated with binge eating
- Topiramate (starting at 25mg, potentially increasing to 100mg daily) for some individuals, under medical supervision as part of a comprehensive treatment plan
Technology-Based Interventions
- Guided computer- and Internet-based interventions (CBIs) have shown promise in treating bulimia nervosa (BN) and may be effective for anorexia nervosa (AN) as an adjunct to therapy or for relapse prevention 1
- Videoconferencing has shown very promising results, similar to traditional face-to-face therapy, and may be an attractive alternative treatment for patients living far away from a specialist eating disorder therapist.
From the FDA Drug Label
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
Treatment Options for Food Addiction
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder, and is regarded as the first-line treatment for both eating disorders 2.
- Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is also a effective treatment for binge-eating disorder, and has been shown to produce significant improvement in reducing binge eating 3, 4.
- Behavioral weight loss therapy is a more widely available treatment that can achieve good outcomes for binge-eating disorder, and can also produce modest weight loss over the short-term 5.
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has been proposed as an alternative treatment option for adolescent eating disorders, and has shown promise as a feasible, acceptable, and possibly effective treatment 6.
Key Findings
- CBT and IPT have been shown to be effective in treating patients with binge-eating disorder, with CBT being more effective in the short-term and IPT taking longer to achieve its effects 4.
- The presence of overvaluation of body shape and weight, and the occurrence of rapid response to treatment, are significant predictors of treatment outcomes 5.
- CBT-E, an enhanced version of CBT, appears to be more effective in treating patients with severe comorbidity, but is no more effective than specialist care involving regular medical follow-up and supportive psychotherapy in the persistent adult form of anorexia nervosa 2.
- DBT and CBT demonstrate promise as alternatives to family-based approaches for adolescent eating disorders, but more research is needed to establish their effectiveness and efficacy 6.