The findings of the world’s first clinical study into treating food addiction with a low carbohydrate and psychoeducational program will be revealed at the Diabetes Professional Care conference.

Award-winning Consultant Clinical Health Psychologist and author Dr Jen Unwin led the international study which involved more than 100 individuals in the UK, North America and Sweden who had been diagnosed with food addiction.

Each of the participants took part in an online group intervention lasting between 10 to 14 weeks.

During the sessions they learned about addiction concepts, the brain’s biochemistry, self-assessment screening, an abstinent individual low carbohydrate or real food plan and relapse prevention and recovery protection planning.

Dr Unwin said: “Everyone is familiar with carb addiction and yet incredibly this is the first time in the world there has been a clinical study like this one.

“Our international teams have studied what happens when food addicts were given the chance to participate in an online group intervention.

“Excitingly, across all three countries the participants achieved significant reductions in food addiction symptoms and bodyweight and a significant improvement in mental wellbeing.

“I’m delighted to be invited to speak at the Diabetes Professional Care conference and look forward to sharing the results of our study because improving the outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes depends on behaviour change, diet and exercise.”

The findings have been published in Frontiers in Psychiatry where it entered the top 1 per cent of all papers ever published within just four days of its publication.

Dr Unwin will talk about the study during her session called ‘Food addiction: prevalence, screening and management’ at the conference on Wednesday, November 16.

She has also written a book called Fork in the Road which helps readers to identify if they have a carbohydrate addiction and gives them the tools to change their lives.

All profits from the book go to charity and it is available on Amazon.

The Diabetes Professional Care conference which will take place at Olympia London on November 16 and 17.

To register for the event, click here