Overview

• A peer-reviewed analysis of more than 2,000 U.S. adults aged 50 to 80 found that 21% of Generation X women and 10% of Generation X men met modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 criteria for ultra-processed food addiction.
• Prevalence was lower among adults aged 65 to 80, with 12% of women and 4% of men meeting criteria, pointing to a cohort difference consistent with earlier-life exposure patterns.
• Meeting addiction criteria was strongly associated with self-perceived overweight, poorer mental or physical health, and social isolation, with markedly higher odds among respondents who described themselves as overweight.
• Researchers suggest aggressive 1980s marketing of “diet” ultra-processed products to women may help explain the higher rates observed in Gen X women.
• The authors caution that children today consume even higher proportions of ultra-processed foods and call for research on critical developmental windows and early interventions, noting reported rates exceed problematic alcohol or tobacco use in older adults.