21% of women in their 50s are addicted to ultra-processed foods, study finds
By isabelle // 2025-10-02
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  • A new study reveals a hidden addiction crisis among Generation X.
  • Gen X women show the highest rates of clinical food addiction.
  • This is linked to the rise of engineered, hyperpalatable foods in the 1980s.
  • Food addiction is tied to severe physical and mental health consequences.
  • The problem is more prevalent than addiction to alcohol or tobacco.
Generation X was the first generation raised on sugary cereals, and "low-fat" snacks marketed as healthy. Now, a groundbreaking study reveals that this early exposure has created a hidden addiction crisis, with Gen X women suffering the most. In the study, researchers from the University of Michigan uncovered a striking pattern: the generation that came of age during the 1980s ultra-processed food revolution now faces the highest rates of food addiction, meeting clinical criteria for substance use disorder The study, published in the journal Addiction, analyzed data from more than 2,000 adults aged 50 to 80. It found that an alarming 21% of women and 10% of men ages 50 to 64 show signs of addiction to ultra-processed foods. This is significantly higher than the rates found in older adults, where only 12% of women and 4% of men ages 65 to 80 are affected. The research points to a generational divide forged in the grocery aisles of the 1980s.

A perfect storm of marketing and addiction

Why the strong generational gap? Scientists point to the 1970s and '80s food revolution, a time when the food environment changed dramatically. It was during these decades that tobacco companies purchased major food manufacturers and began developing foods with what researchers call "hyperpalatable ingredients." These products, loaded with refined carbohydrates and added fats, were engineered to be irresistible. Lead author Lucy Loch explained the connection, stating, “Today’s older adults were in a key developmental period when our nation’s food environment changed. And those patterns stuck.” In other words, individuals who are now in their 50s and early 60s were in developmentally sensitive stages when these addictive ultra-processed foods became ubiquitous, creating lasting consumption patterns that have followed them into middle age.

The gender gap in food addiction

The study uncovered a surprising reversal of traditional substance abuse trends. Unlike alcohol or tobacco addiction, which historically affect more men, ultra-processed food addiction is far more prevalent in women. The 21% rate for women aged 50 to 64 is more than double the rate for men in the same age group. This gender gap may also be a product of 1980s marketing. Public health campaigns at the time urged Americans to cut fat, and the food industry responded with a flood of "diet" products marketed heavily toward women. Low-fat cookies and microwavable meals were promoted as weight-control solutions, but their engineered nutrient profiles may have inadvertently reinforced addictive eating patterns.

The devastating health fallout

This is not merely about cravings. The study linked food addiction to severe consequences for physical and mental health. The connection with weight is particularly dramatic. Overweight men were 19 times more likely to be addicted to ultra-processed foods, while overweight women were 11 times more likely. The correlations with mental well-being are equally alarming. Men reporting fair or poor mental health were four times as likely to meet criteria for ultra-processed food addiction, while women with poor mental health were nearly three times as likely. Social isolation also showed a powerful link, with isolated adults being more than three times as likely to struggle with addictive eating. Senior author Ashley Gearhardt highlighted the scale of the problem, noting, "The percentages we see in these data far outpace the percentages of older adults with problematic use of other addictive substances, such as alcohol and tobacco." The overall addiction rate for this age group is 12.4%, dwarfing the rates for alcohol use disorder, which affects about 1.5% of older adults, and tobacco use disorder, which affects about 4%. The research suggests that the legacy of the 1980s food revolution is a public health time bomb. With today's children consuming even more ultra-processed foods, future generations may face even higher rates of addiction. For now, the data offers a sobering look at how the foods of our youth can dictate the health of our future, revealing an epidemic hiding in plain sight on every supermarket shelf. Sources for this article include: NaturalHealth365.com StudyFinds.org ScienceDaily.com
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