This project is a five-year NIH-funded K23 Career Development Award led by Dr. Erica LaFata and housed within ORI Community and Evaluation Services. The study investigates how different classes of ultra-processed foods, particularly those high in added fats, refined carbohydrates, or both, activate biobehavioral reward systems and contribute to compulsive eating patterns. Using a multi-method design that integrates metabolic assays, laboratory eating paradigms, and self-report measures of craving and reinforcement, the project seeks to identify the specific food attributes most strongly associated with addictive-like responses. Findings will help clarify the biological and psychological mechanisms that underlie overconsumption of ultra-processed foods and inform the development of targeted, evidence-based interventions to improve eating behavior and metabolic health.