Ultra-processed food addiction in older US adults with Lucy Loch

Ultra-processed food addiction in older US adults with Lucy Loch

February 27, 2026 · 15 min · Season 4 · Episode 7

About this episode

This episode features an interview with Lucy Loch discussing her research on ultra-processed food addiction among older US adults.

In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim speaks to Lucy Loch, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan, US. The interview covers Lucy’s research article on ultra-processed food addiction in a nationally representative sample of older adults in the US. What are ultra-processed foods? [01:18] Ultra-processed food addiction and its relation to other behavioural addictions [02:12] The addictive features of ultra-processed food [03:01] The relationship between ultra-processed foods and obesity [03:50] The motivation for the study [04:37] The key findings of the study [05:24] Socioeconomic inequality as a potential predictor for ultra-processed food addiction [06:49] Should we avoid ultra-processed foods? [07:20] The main takeaways from the findings [08:35] Suggestions for policymakers to regulate ultra-processed foods [10:56] The clinical recognition of ultra-processed food addiction as an addiction [11:54] The next steps in Lucy’s research [12:22] About Tsen Vei Lim: Tsen Vei is an academic fellow supported by the Society for the Study of Addiction, currently based at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. His research…

People in this episode

Host: Dr Tsen Vei Lim

Guest: Lucy Loch

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Michigan, Society for the Study of Addiction, Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge, Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan

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