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Dr. Robert Pretlow of eHealth International in Seattle presented findings that suggest that social networking sites and smart phone applications help people overcome cravings for "highly pleasurable foods", thus helping them lose weight.

According to the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), which hosts the annual European Congress on Obesity, Pretlow's research suggests that substance dependence (addiction), involving highly pleasurable foods ("problem foods") is a "significant cause of the obesity epidemic, if not the overriding cause."

Obesity treatment should use addiction medicine approaches, a key part of which are anonymous social networks that offer support during withdrawal, say EASO.

Pretlow said, "Programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Drug Addicts Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous (OA), and Food Addicts Anonymous demonstrate that support groups are indispensable in the addiction treatment approach. The crucial point is that people remain anonymous."

"Group support helps the obese person tolerate withdrawal from problem foods and adds motivation to keep going. Re-addiction is prevented by socially learning to cope with life without turning to food," added Pretlow.

The research institute had its own children's website and a smart phone application to lose weight: W8Loss2Go - a Smartphone application for treating obesity uses online social networking that are anonymous to help children break away from their addiction to food.

It was found that when it comes to children and teenagers smart phone apps are more effective than websites or any social networking sites. Children and teenagers. A four month preliminary study using this app showed a mean weight loss of 10lb. The study included observing 12 obese people aged between nine and 22 years.

The lead researcher said: "Results of an exit questionnaire indicate that the social networking support was invaluable in participants becoming unhooked from their problem foods and large portion sizes. While weight loss from social networking is not as much as face-to-face weight loss programs, social networking is much cheaper and much more widely available. It is also ongoing for weight maintenance and dealing with relapses."