Abstract: Obesity in juveniles is a chronic metabolic disease which is influencedthe interactions of many factors including diet and environment. It is alarming that the incidence of obesity in juveniles is increasing yearyear. As one of the main causes of the high prevalence of obesity, food addiction has attracted more and more attention scientists due to the physical and psychological harms to juveniles. Into provide useful information for preventing food addiction in juveniles and ensuring their dietary health, this article summarizes recent progress in the study of food addiction in juveniles with regard to the assessment methods, the mechanism for its development and the preventive and therapeutic measures. Furthermore, Chinese dietary culture, habit and structure can provide useful guidance for preventing food addiction in juveniles and ensuring their dietary health.

Key words: juveniles, food addiction, mechanism, prevention, treatment