Reinvent Your Bliss Point

International Food Addiction & Comorbidities Conference 2025

Conference Details

I'm proud to be on the team hosting the International Food Addiction and Comorbidities Conference (IFACC) 2025 will take place at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), Euston Square, London, England. This event will provide a platform for the latest research and clinical experience in Food Addiction and its comorbidities, including Type 2 diabetes, mental health challenges, cardiovascular disease, and cancers.

IFACC 2025 will be the international stage where clinicians, researchers, academics, and public health professionals share their latest experiences, knowledge, research findings, and hypotheses on combating the world’s growing health problems caused by challenging food environments.

Building on the success of IFACC 2024 in London, which celebrated the first-ever International Consensus on addiction-like symptoms related to foods, IFACC 2025 will provide a comprehensive look at how we can collaborate more effectively across borders to address these critical health issues.

What To Expect

4th September: Focused on Food Addiction, featuring cutting edge research and insights

5th September: Dedicated to Comorbidities, examining the broader health impacts and solutions

Speakers

We are excited to present a stellar line up of international experts who will share the latest science and data that can contribute towards solving this public health crisis that is strongly impacted by our challenging food environment. We will also be focusing on solutions for improving health outcomes for younger generations.

Carlos A. Monteiro, MD, PhD: An Emeritus Professor of Nutrition and Public Health at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. His research interests include new methods to assess diet quality, epidemiology of obesity and other nutrition-related chronic diseases, and food processing and human health. On these subjects, he has published more than 300 journal articles with more than 28,000 citations in the Web of Science.

Dr. Georgia Ede: A Harvard-trained, board-certified psychiatrist specialising in nutritional and metabolic psychiatry, Dr. Georgia Ede is a leading voice in the field of diet and mental health. She is dedicated to empowering individuals with psychiatric conditions to improve their health through dietary changes. Dr. Ede’s work includes pioneering research on the ketogenic diet for mental illnesses and developing accredited courses for mental health practitioners.

Dr. Nasha Winters: An internationally recognised authority in integrative cancer care, combining standard treatments with metabolic and complementary therapies. Dr. Winters is a trusted consultant for medical professionals worldwide and is revolutionising cancer care with her vision for a pioneering integrative oncology hospital and research institute. She is the host of the Metabolic Matters podcast and Executive Director of the Metabolic Terrain Institute of Health (MTIH). She recently opened a non-profit metabolic research lab in Phoenix, Arizona, focusing on personalised cancer treatments and early detection tools.

Dr. David Unwin: An award-winning general practitioner known for pioneering the low-carb approach in the UK. Dr. Unwin has been recognised for his innovative work in managing type 2 diabetes through dietary changes, significantly reducing the need for medication among his patients. His contributions have earned him the NHS Innovator of the Year award and a position as a clinical expert in diabetes at the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Karen Thomson: A passionate advocate for food addiction recovery, Karen Thomson is a renowned speaker and author who has dedicated her career to helping individuals overcome their struggles with food addiction. Her personal journey and professional insights provide a unique perspective on the challenges and solutions in this field.

Dr. Nicole Avena: An Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and a Visiting Professor of Health Psychology at Princeton University. She graduated Princeton University with a PhD in Psychology and Neuroscience, and completed her postdoctoral fellowship in molecular biology at The Rockefeller University. Dr. Avena is a research neuroscientist and expert in the fields of nutrition, diet and addiction, with a special focus on nutrition during the lifespan. She has done ground-breaking work developing models to characterise food addition and the dangers of excess sugar intake.

Dr. Amy Reichelt: A pioneering neuroscientist whose research focuses on the impact of diet on brain health and mental well-being. Dr. Reichelt has published extensively on the neurobiological effects of nutrition and is a recognised leader in the field of cognitive wellness. Her work bridges the gap between scientific research and practical applications for improving mental health through diet.

Ignatio Cuaranta MD: A Board-Certified Clinical Psychiatrist from Argentina. He focuses on integrating metabolic and lifestyle interventions such as low-carb and ketogenic diets, intermittent fasting, and stress management, into psychiatric practice to optimize mental health and improve quality of life.

Dr. Tro Kalayjian: An internal medicine specialist with a focus on obesity medicine. Dr. Kalayjian is known for his patient-centred approach to weight management and metabolic health. His expertise in low-carb and ketogenic diets has helped many patients achieve significant health improvements.

Prof. Adrian Soto-Mota: A medical doctor specialising in Internal Medicine. Dr. Soto-Mota is a researcher and a Professor in the Internal Medicine Program at Mexico’s National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition. His research focuses on the clinical applications of different dietary interventions and the use and abuse of statistical methods in Biomedical Sciences.

Dr. Kim Dennis: A board-certified psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer at SunCloud Health, Dr. Dennis specialises in treating eating disorders, addiction, trauma, and multi-occurring disorders. With a holistic approach to psychiatry, she integrates biological, psycho-social, and spiritual perspectives into individualised treatment plans. Dr. Dennis is a renowned expert in her field, contributing to various publications and media outlets on topics related to food addiction and mental health.

Dr. David Wiss: A registered dietitian nutritionist and mental health researcher, Dr. Wiss is a pioneer in the field of nutrition for addiction recovery. He has dedicated his career to helping people transform their relationship with food during life’s most challenging transitions. Dr. Wiss’s innovative approach integrates nutrition and mental health, and he has published extensively on the topic. He is the founder of Nutrition in Recovery and the Wise Mind Nutrition app, which supports individuals in achieving holistic wellness.

Dr. Scott Murray: Founder and Medical Director of Venturi Cardiology, a leading heart health clinic in the UK. Dr. Murray has a specialist interest in preventative cardiology. He is a past-president of the British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (BACPR) and is known for his patient-centred approach. Dr. Murray is dedicated to preventative cardiology, focusing on reducing individual risks and improving heart health.

Buy Tickets Here:

https://the-chc.org/fas/conference

INTERNATIONAL FOOD ADDICTION CONSENSUS CONFERENCE 2024

I was on the team that hosted the first ever International Food Addiction Consensus Conference, IFACC 2024, was held in London on 17th May 2024 to celebrate the Consensus reached between 37 out of 40 international researchers, academics and clinicians, with 250 delegates and 350 Live-Steam watchers around the world.

The event also saw the release of a Consensus Statement on Food Addiction from international researchers and clinicians. You can view this statement by clicking on the link below:

https://heyzine.com/flip-book/a00ee3aa6c.html

Learn More

What is Ultra-Processed Food Addiction (UPFA)

Why Do Ultra-Processed Foods Trigger Addictive Processes?

UPFA is a chronic condition involving the brain’s reward circuits, genetics, environment, and personal life experiences. Individuals with UPFA consume certain foods compulsively, obsess about food, and persist in these behaviors despite negative health and social consequences. It shares key symptoms with substance use disorders, such as:

•

• Cravings

• Loss of control

• Tolerance

• Withdrawal

• Continued use despite harm

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Why Do Ultra-Processed Foods Trigger Addictive Processes?

1. Hijacking the Reward System: UPFs are designed to hit the "bliss point" of sugar, fat, and salt, releasing dopamine. Over time, more is needed for the same effect, mimicking substance addiction.

2. Rapid Nutrient Absorption: Refined ingredients cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar, reinforcing cravings and overeating.

3. Loss of Satie

2. Rapid Nutrient Absorption: Refined ingredients cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar, reinforcing cravings and overeating.

3. Loss of Satiety Signals: UPFs lack nutrients like fiber and protein, leading to overconsumption without feeling full.

4. Engineered Cravings: Additives and "melt-in-your-mouth" textures make these foods irresistible, bypassing natural satiety mechanisms.

5. Emotional Eating: UPFs are marketed as comfort foods, reinforcing their use during stress or boredom.

6. Disrupted Gut-Brain Communication: UPFs harm gut health, affecting mood, cravings, and the gut-brain axis.

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Ultra-processed Food Addiction Defined

Why Do Ultra-Processed Foods Trigger Addictive Processes?

Ultra-processed Food Addiction Defined

Ultra Processed Food Addiction (UPFA) is a chronic disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment and an individual’s life experiences. People with UPFA use food in a way similar to drugs of abuse, obsess about food, and/or engage in eating behaviours that become compulsive and often continue despit

Ultra-processed food addiction is a distinct disorder characterized by the typical symptoms of substance use disorders, such as cravings, tolerance, loss of control, withdrawal, and continued use despite negative consequences, in relation to certain foods. There is a growing body of research and clinical experience concerning the biochemistry of the condition, the differentiation from other disorders, and the clinical assessment and intervention protocols which warrant further study.

Similar to other substance use disorders drug food addiction alters neurochemistry and neuroanatomy, distorting thinking around food and leading to compulsive eating despite health consequences.

People with Ultra-processed food addiciton may:

• Overeat despite knowing the risks

• Obsess over food preparation and meals

• Fail repeatedly to cut back on food intake

• Feel guilt or shame about their eating behaviors

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