Scientists have created a scale to rate addiction to sweets

For many, sweets are a source of compulsive cravings, guilt and struggles with themselves. A new study published in the journal Nutrients presents the first scientifically validated sweet addiction assessment scale, the FitMIND Foundation Sweets Addiction Scale (FFSAS).

According to the authors, sweet cravings are not just a lack of willpower, but addiction-like behaviour: with intrusive thoughts, loss of control and emotional consequences similar to reactions to substance use.

Sugar consumption is on the rise worldwide. Despite the existence of common food addiction scales, until now there has been no instrument focused solely on sweets - despite the fact that it is sugar that can be particularly active on the brain's reward system.

To fill this gap, researchers from the Polish FitMIND Foundation have adapted the well-known Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0), targeting it exclusively at sweet foods. Their aim is to assess not only the amount eaten, but also the emotional, cognitive and behavioural aspects of these eating behaviours.

The development of the FFSAS involved 344 adults from Poland who completed an online survey. They were asked about the frequency of sweet consumption, body mass index (BMI), as well as feelings of guilt, shame and failed attempts to reduce consumption.

The scale was validated by 11 experts in psychology, psychiatry and dietetics before publication. It showed high reliability (coefficient α = 0.85) and a clear structure reflecting three key aspects: behaviours, emotions and thoughts related to sweets.

62% of participants considered themselves addicted to sweets and 53% admitted to others. Almost a third ate sweets several times a day. High scores on the FFSAS scale were strongly correlated with compulsive cravings, attempts to give up sweets and strong feelings of guilt and shame.

The authors emphasise that it is emotion, not frequency of consumption, that is the most important indicator of addiction. People with severe sweet addiction experienced guilt on a daily basis or even several times a day. Many constantly made promises to themselves to start "a new life from Monday" - a typical feature of the vicious cycle of addiction.

According to the researchers, such results confirm the effectiveness of the FFSAS as a tool reflecting not only sugar consumption, but also the underlying psychological struggle with it.

In Poland, as in most countries, sugar consumption levels are significantly higher than the norms. It is associated with risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, fatty hepatosis, mood instability and even cognitive decline.

"This study provides new insights: addiction to sweets is not just a bad habit, but often a source of internal conflict that needs attention," say the authors.

The FFSAS is of particular value for diagnosing and working with patients with eating disorders, as well as for the prevention of metabolic and psycho-emotional disorders.

So far, FFSAS is a pilot project. The team is now working on expanding it to a wider sample, including men, young adults and people with clinically diagnosed eating disorders. There are also plans to create a shortened version of the scale for rapid use in clinics and schools.

Eventually, the tool could be integrated into digital apps, screening programmes and national healthy eating campaigns.

The study authors recommend that those who feel addicted to sweets take a few steps:

• Keep a food and emotion diary: what you eat, how often, what emotions you experience;

• Pay attention to triggers: boredom, anxiety, stress can trigger the desire to eat something sweet;

• Avoid extremes: don't aim to give up sugar completely - it's better to reduce the amount or replace it with healthier foods;

• Maintain the environment: keep sweets out of sight, stock up on healthy snacks, tell your loved ones about your goals;

• Seek help from a nutritionist or therapist if necessary.

The study was conducted with the participation of Joanna Jurek, PhD in biomedical sciences, specialising in neuronutrition and metabolic disorders.

Details: Choroszyński M. et al, "Development and Validation of the FitMIND Foundation Sweets Addiction Scale," Nutrients (2025).
DOI: 10.3390/nu17121985