Could treating food like a drug be the breakthrough we've needed in food addiction treatment?

In this episode of The Metabolic Link, Dr. Dominic D’Agostino sits down with Dr. Tro Kalayjian - physician, researcher, and former obesity patient - to explore whether food addiction should be classified as a true addiction, and how his TOWARD model is helping patients overcome binge eating and food-related compulsions.

Dr. Tro shares findings from his recent peer-reviewed paper, TOWARD: a Metabolic Health Intervention That Improves Food Addiction and Binge Eating Symptoms. The study evaluated outcomes from the TOWARD intervention, a telemedicine-based model that combines metabolic nutrition, real-time biofeedback, and coaching. Nearly half of participants reduced food addiction symptoms, and over 80% saw improvements in binge eating - often independent of weight loss.

This conversation explores the science of dopamine signaling, the failure of calorie-restriction models, the blurred line between food addiction and eating disorders, and how this approach could reshape treatment through scalable, real-world solutions.

Questions Answered in This Episode:

• How should we define food addiction compared to binge eating disorder?
• Should ultra-processed food addiction be officially recognized in the DSM?
• Why is food addiction harder to treat than drug or alcohol addiction?
• What were the key outcomes of the TOWARD study on food addiction and binge eating?
• Can lifestyle interventions compete with bariatric surgery or GLP-1 drugs?
• How can employers scale food addiction treatment for high-risk populations?

Check out Dr. Kalajian's TOWARD app here.

Special thanks to the sponsors of this episode:

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Please keep in mind: The Metabolic Link does not provide medical or health advice, but rather general information that does not serve as a substitute for a licensed healthcare professional. Never delay in seeking medical advice from an appropriately licensed medical provider for any health condition that you may have.