Researchers tested a new online program called TOWARD that helps people who struggle with food addiction and binge eating. The program combines text messages, online coaching, educational videos, and a diet focused on reducing carbohydrates. People who participated saw their food addiction symptoms drop by 41% and their binge eating symptoms decrease by 35%. The program was offered through an employee wellness program and helped people lose weight, reduce their need for medications, and feel better mentally. This suggests that combining technology with dietary changes might be an effective way to help people regain control over their eating habits.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether an online program combining coaching, text messages, educational materials, and a low-carbohydrate diet could help people with food addiction and binge eating problems
  • Who participated: Employees from a company wellness program who reported struggling with food addiction and binge eating. The exact number of participants wasn’t specified in the available information
  • Key finding: People in the program experienced a 40.7% reduction in food addiction symptoms and a 34.7% reduction in binge eating symptoms, along with weight loss and improved mental health
  • What it means for you: If you struggle with food cravings or binge eating, this research suggests that a combination of online support, coaching, and dietary changes may help. However, this is early-stage research, and you should talk to your doctor before making major dietary changes

The Research Details

Researchers created a new program called TOWARD that uses six main components to help people with food addiction. The program sends text messages to keep people engaged, offers online coaching sessions with trained professionals, provides educational materials that people can watch anytime, creates a community where people can support each other, uses devices to track health metrics in real-time, and recommends reducing carbohydrates in the diet. The program was offered to employees through their company’s wellness program. Participants used the program over a period of time, and researchers measured changes in their food addiction symptoms, binge eating behaviors, weight, and mental health using standard assessment tools.

This research matters because food addiction and binge eating are serious problems that affect many people’s health and happiness. Traditional treatments don’t always work well for everyone. By combining multiple approaches—technology, coaching, education, and dietary changes—this program offers a more complete solution. Testing it in a real workplace setting shows whether it can actually help people in their everyday lives, not just in a research lab

The study was published in a peer-reviewed journal, which means other experts reviewed it before publication. However, the research doesn’t specify how many people participated or provide detailed comparison information, which would help us understand how strong the results are. The study appears to be an initial test of the program rather than a large-scale comparison study, so more research would strengthen the findings

What the Results Show

The main finding was that people using the TOWARD program experienced significant improvements in food addiction symptoms, with a 40.7% decrease on a standard measurement scale. This is a substantial improvement that suggests the program is effective at reducing the intense cravings and loss of control around food that characterize food addiction. Additionally, binge eating symptoms decreased by 34.7%, meaning people had fewer episodes of eating large amounts of food in a short time. These improvements happened alongside weight loss, suggesting that the program helped people make lasting changes to their eating patterns. The program also appeared to help people’s mental health, which makes sense because food addiction and binge eating often cause shame, anxiety, and depression.

Beyond the main results, the program also led to weight loss in participants, which is important for overall health. Another interesting finding was that some people were able to reduce or stop taking medications they had been using, which lowered their healthcare costs. This suggests the program may have improved their underlying metabolic health—meaning how their body processes food and energy. The fact that mental health improved alongside eating behavior improvements is significant because these issues are often connected; when people feel better emotionally, they’re better able to control their eating

Previous research has shown that reducing carbohydrates can help improve food addiction symptoms, and this study builds on that finding by combining it with technology and coaching. The TOWARD program appears to be one of the first to combine all these elements—text messaging, online coaching, education, community support, real-time health tracking, and dietary changes—in one comprehensive approach. This combination approach is newer and more complete than previous treatments that typically focused on just one or two strategies

The study doesn’t clearly state how many people participated, which makes it harder to know how reliable the results are. There’s no mention of a comparison group (people who didn’t do the program), so we can’t be completely sure the improvements came from the program itself rather than other factors. The study was done in an employee wellness setting, which means the results might not apply to everyone—people who join workplace wellness programs might be more motivated than the general population. We don’t know how long the improvements lasted after the program ended. More research with larger groups and longer follow-up would help confirm these findings

The Bottom Line

If you struggle with food addiction or binge eating, this research suggests that a comprehensive program combining coaching, technology support, education, and reduced carbohydrate intake may help. Talk to your doctor or a mental health professional before starting any new program or making major dietary changes. This is promising early research, but it’s not yet proven enough to be considered a standard treatment. Consider asking your healthcare provider about similar programs or whether this approach might work for you

This research is most relevant for people who experience food addiction symptoms (intense cravings, loss of control around certain foods, continued eating despite negative consequences) or binge eating episodes. It may be particularly useful for people in workplace wellness programs or those who prefer online support. People with certain medical conditions, eating disorders, or those taking specific medications should consult their doctor before trying a low-carbohydrate diet. This research is less relevant for people without food addiction or binge eating issues

Based on the study results, people saw meaningful improvements in food addiction and binge eating symptoms while using the program. However, the study doesn’t specify exactly how long the program lasted or how quickly improvements appeared. Typically, behavioral changes take several weeks to months to become noticeable, so you shouldn’t expect overnight results. Realistic expectations would be to see gradual improvements over 2-3 months of consistent participation

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your binge eating episodes daily by recording: (1) whether you had a binge episode, (2) what triggered it, and (3) how you felt before and after. Also track your carbohydrate intake and any food cravings you experience. This creates a clear picture of patterns and progress over time
  • Use the app to set up daily text reminders for meals and snacks, log your food intake with a focus on carbohydrate content, and participate in weekly coaching check-ins. Create a simple goal like ‘reduce refined carbohydrates by 25% this week’ and track your progress daily
  • Weekly review of your binge eating frequency, monthly assessment of your food addiction symptoms using a simple self-rating scale (1-10), and monthly weigh-ins. Share these metrics with your coach or healthcare provider to adjust the program as needed and celebrate progress

This research is preliminary and should not replace professional medical advice. Food addiction and binge eating are serious conditions that may benefit from professional treatment. Before starting any new diet, especially a low-carbohydrate diet, consult with your doctor or a registered dietitian, particularly if you have diabetes, heart disease, or are taking medications. If you have a history of eating disorders, be especially cautious and work with a healthcare provider experienced in eating disorders. This article summarizes research findings but does not constitute medical advice or treatment recommendations for your individual situation.