Purpose <p>High intake of sugar is prevalent and has been linked to adverse health outcomes. This study aimed to assess ‘sugar addiction symptoms’ in young adults and their links to BMI, actual sugar and sweet snack intake.</p> Methods <p>In this cross-sectional study, 148 participants (final 106; 18–30 years, females = 64) were assessed for ‘sugar addiction symptoms’ using the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0). Dietary intake was evaluated using a Food Frequency Questionnaire, which was subsequently used to estimate total and added sugar intake, as well as snack choice for Sweet, Sweet + Fat, and Non-Sweet foods. Individual BMI measures were based on measured height and weight. Univariate and multivariate analyses explored associations between ‘sugar addiction symptoms’, sweetness liking, BMI, sugar intake, and food choices.</p> Results <p>Results showed that 9.6% of participants exhibited strong ‘sugar addiction symptoms’, 61.4% moderate, 23.2% mild, and 5.8% without symptoms. While a significant positive correlation was observed between BMI and total/added sugar intake, ‘sugar addiction symptom scores’ were not significantly linked to any of those measures (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.1). However, ‘sugar addiction symptom scores’ significantly predicted choices of Sweet foods (χ² ₍₇₎ = 67.29, <i>p</i> = 0.011, Pseudo <i>R</i>^<i>2</i> =0.48), with one-unit increase in YFAS-scores had a stronger impact on choosing Sweet + Fat foods than on Sweet foods alone.</p> Conclusion <p>‘Sugar addiction symptoms’ was unrelated to BMI or sugar intake but significantly predicted preferences for Sweet and especially Sweet + Fat foods, highlighting the role of sensory properties over sugar quantity in addictive-like eating. This study provides insights for future research and interventions targeting addictive eating patterns and healthier dietary behaviours.</p>