In 2022, a survey of adults in the United States aged 50 to 80 years found that 24 percent reported that at least once a week they had such strong urges to eat certain foods that they couldn’t think of anything else. This statistic shows the percentage of adults in the United States aged 50 to 80 years with select ultra-processed food addiction symptoms in 2022.
Percentage of adults in the United States aged 50 to 80 years with select ultra-processed food addiction symptoms in 2022
Characteristic
Percentage of respondents
I had such strong urges to eat certain foods that I couldn’t think of anything else*
24%
I tried and failed to cut down on or stop eating certain foods**
19%
If I had emotional problems because I hadn’t eaten certain foods, I would eat them*
17%
Eating the same amount of food did not give me as much enjoyment as it used to**
13%
My friends or family were worried about how much I overate***
12%
My overeating got in the way of me taking care of my family or doing household chores***
10%
I kept eating in the same way even though my eating caused emotional problems*
10%
I spent a lot of time feeling sluggish or tired from overeating**
10%
I avoided work, school or social activities because I was afraid I would overeat***
5%
I was so distracted by eating that I could have been hurt (e.g., when driving a car)***
"People sometimes have difficulty controlling how much they eat of certain foods such as:
• Sweets like ice cream, chocolate, doughnuts, cookies, cake, and candy
• Starches like white bread, rolls, pasta, and rice
• Salty snacks like chips, pretzels, and crackers
• Fatty foods like steak, bacon, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, pizza, and french fries
• Sugary drinks like soda pop, lemonade, sports drinks, and energy drinks
In answering the following questions, respondents were asked to consider their experiences with the foods listed above, any foods or beverages similar to those listed above, and any other foods they had difficulty with in the past year."
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IHPI. (January 29, 2023). Percentage of adults in the United States aged 50 to 80 years with select ultra-processed food addiction symptoms in 2022 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 27, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1491286/seniors-ultra-processed-food-addiction-symptoms/
IHPI. "Percentage of adults in the United States aged 50 to 80 years with select ultra-processed food addiction symptoms in 2022." Chart. January 29, 2023. Statista. Accessed December 27, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1491286/seniors-ultra-processed-food-addiction-symptoms/
IHPI. (2023). Percentage of adults in the United States aged 50 to 80 years with select ultra-processed food addiction symptoms in 2022. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 27, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1491286/seniors-ultra-processed-food-addiction-symptoms/
IHPI. "Percentage of Adults in The United States Aged 50 to 80 Years with Select Ultra-processed Food Addiction Symptoms in 2022." Statista, Statista Inc., 29 Jan 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1491286/seniors-ultra-processed-food-addiction-symptoms/
IHPI, Percentage of adults in the United States aged 50 to 80 years with select ultra-processed food addiction symptoms in 2022 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1491286/seniors-ultra-processed-food-addiction-symptoms/ (last visited December 27, 2024)
Percentage of adults in the United States aged 50 to 80 years with select ultra-processed food addiction symptoms in 2022 [Graph], IHPI, January 29, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1491286/seniors-ultra-processed-food-addiction-symptoms/
