Ditching junk food causes withdrawals similar to drug addiction, study says

The research published in the current issue of Appetite is believed to be the first study of its kind that examines withdrawal symptoms people experience when they stop indulging in these foods as part of their regular diet. 

A total of 231 adults participated in the study and were asked to report any physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms experienced after cutting back or completely abstaining from junk foods over the past year. 

If they tried to quit several times, they had to report their most recent experience then any withdrawal symptoms that a person typically has when trying to cut down on nicotine or cannabis use. 

Respondents said they experienced the following symptoms 2 to 5 days after saying goodbye to junk food:

• Sadness
• Tiredness
• Cravings
• Increased irritability

After a few days, the symptoms did subside, respondents noted. 

Researchers say this links with the general understanding of how drug withdrawals work.