Scientists have said that food addiction could be one of the reasons behind the rising number of individuals suffering from eating disorders and obesity.

Food is not currently included in the official diagnostic manual of addictive substances, but scientists believe excessive over-eating shares many of the psychological characteristics associated with other addictions, such as gambling and compulsive stealing, The Independent reported.

"Palatable food is appealing because it activates reward centres in the brain, triggering signalling molecules in the opioid and dopamine systems.

These same systems are triggered when we use drugs or alcohol," Professor Julian Mercer of Aberdeen University, said.

A project called 'NeuroFast project' is under way to determine whether over-eating can be categorised as a potentially addictive behaviour.

"This could lead to certain foods being classed as addictive, alongside alcohol and drugs," Mercer said.

"How and why food could be addictive is being explored to ascertain whether this is one of the reasons why people eat too much and develop obesity," Mercer was quoted as saying by the paper.

In the next five years, the project will bring together experts from across Europe to determine if overeating should be treated similarly to other addictive behaviour.

"If we can reach a consensus on how overeating should be classified, this could lead to major changes in treatment and public policy surrounding obesity," Mercer told the British Science Festival.

"It would help to clarify if food addiction is a route to binge eating or obesity," Mercer added.

Mercer explained that compulsive overeating shares many of the features of other addictive behaviour, and the most likely people to suffer food addiction are the estimated one in 200 individuals who develop severe eating disorders associated with obesity.

"This would most likely fit in at the extreme end with people who have binge-like eating disorders," Mercer said.