A group of obsesity, nutrition, and addiction experts is meeting in New Haven, Connecticut, to discuss the possibility that obesity may be due to food addiction.

Although there is no official definition of food addiction, [Mark Gold, chief of addiction medicine at the McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Florida] defines it in much the same way as other substance dependence: "Eating too much despite consequences, even dire consequences to health; being preoccupied with food, food preparation and meals; trying and failing to cut back on food intake; feeling guilty about eating and overeating."