Teens today face many challenges- social, Physical, and emotional all of which are compounded by the ever increasing peer pressure they encounter at school. A teens social status may be dependent on his or her physical appearance. In this generation, a healthy weight is pretty much social suicide – bone thin is in, and there is no end to which some teens will not go to become thin/acceptable, even to the extreme of straving themselves, only to binge on all manners of food - comfort foods mainly.

The concept of food addiction is alien to most people, because drugs and alcohol seem to dominate that arena. However, addiction is in essence the over indulgence or abuse of any substance including food. Many experts including overeaters anonymous and food addicts in recovery anonymous say Food Addiction consist of:

-Using food to comfort and soothe emotions.

-Constantly thinking or odsessing about food.

-Secretly Gorgeing yourself with comfort foods like icecream, when you are alone or lonely.

-Eating until the food is gone. “If there is too much open fridge space at the end of your eating session, you’ve eaten too much!”

-Feeling guilty about food.

For teens who can’t fit in, food is often their invisible friend, showing up in times of need to provide much needed comfort.