Scientists have now compared junk food with heroin and cocaine. Recent studies states that sugar, fat, salt have a similar effect on brain that hard drugs have.

These findings mean that warnings that appear on cigarette boxes should also appear on food packets that are high in sugar, fats and salt. And these findings have also led to the suggestion that manufacturers could be sued for knowingly putting people's health at risk.

The research is done as there is a surge in obesity in Britain and the amount of money that is paid by the NHS to aid weight loss surgery alone which is more than £32million a year.

Scientists have stated that junk food is as addictive as drugs are.

There was a research done on rats in America in which these rats were fed on junk food and changes were noticed in brain and behaviour that were similar to changes seen in rodents hooked on morphine.

It was noticed that by having junk food, pleasure-seeking brain chemical dopamine, was released by these rodents.

When these rats were allowed to binge on chocolate, icing, sausage and bacon and very, very striking changes in the brain were seen and these were similar to those seen with cocaine and heroin.

Scientists added, “There is now compelling evidence that foods high in sugar, fat and salt - as most junk foods are - can alter your brain chemistry in much the same way as highly addictive drugs such as cocaine and heroin.”