Stress Eating? Your Loved Ones Might Be the Solution to Control the Cravings
Experts warn that while stress eating can provide a temporary boost in mood, its long-term consequences can be detrimental to health.
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s common for individuals to seek solace in food during stressful times. This coping mechanism, referred to as stress eating, often arises from emotional triggers rather than real physical hunger. As this habit develops, it can adversely affect your health.
Reducing Chronic Stress
A recent study in 2024 indicated that building social connections can act as a significant remedy for chronic stress eating. Establishing relationships with friends, family, and community members can create a nurturing environment that diminishes stress and helps steer clear of food as a coping mechanism in challenging situations.
Before you reach for that familiar bag of chips in response to job-related stress, Yoobin Park, the lead author of the study and postdoctoral researcher at the Emotional Well-Being Network at the University of California, San Francisco, advocates for a simple change in approach.
“If stress drives you to consider a pint of ice cream, try reaching out to someone instead,” she advised The Epoch Times in an email.
Insights from Research
The study, published in an advanced online issue of Health Psychology, consisted of two separate investigations.
The first study involved 1,264 participants and explored the link between stress eating, body mass index (BMI), and waist-to-hip ratios over a decade.
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Researchers collected data through eight days of diary entries to assess participants’ typical experiences and the availability of social support. They aimed to determine whether typical levels of social resources could lessen the long-term metabolic health impacts of stress eating, according to Park.
“We focused on the emotional support received—specifically whether individuals got support from others when under stress,” Park explained.
The second study, involving 536 participants, aimed to measure initial stress eating and BMI alongside 24 entries from participants’ diaries reflecting social support. Researchers sought to analyze if social responsiveness played a role in daily stress eating behaviors and the fluctuations in BMI.
Building on conclusions from the first study, Park explained that the second inquiry concentrated on daily interaction dynamics. They expanded diary contributions to 24 entries to capture more nuanced daily patterns.
“We examined participants’ feelings of being valued, understood, and cared for by others on a daily basis,” she shared.
“Additionally, we probed whether people felt stressed each day and how they managed those feelings. One follow-up question asked whether they consumed more food than usual or indulged in foods they typically restricted,” she elaborated.
Park emphasized that follow-up analysis in the second study was conducted to conceptually reaffirm findings from the first study, despite the different contexts of each study.
The results of the first study showed that supportive relationships might lessen the adverse effects of stress eating on BMI and waist-to-hip ratios across ten years. The follow-up study reinforced that individuals with consistent stress-eating patterns are less inclined to indulge on days when they feel supported.
Participants who did not practice stress eating at the beginning did not develop the habit during the studies. The moderating effect of social resources was noted specifically in chronic stress eaters, Park clarified.
The research concluded that having a supportive social circle can significantly assist those who are prone to stress eating. Park noted that the study was observational, not experimental, suggesting that further research is necessary to understand how this connection can lead to long-term benefits for those who struggle with stress eating.
“One hypothesis suggests that the rewarding aspect of social interactions could over time reduce the urging effect of food on these individuals. It will be important to explore this further,” Park remarked.
The Connection Between Stress and Eating Habits
Stress impacts both physical and mental health, dramatically influencing how and what we eat. Shereen Behairy, a doctoral candidate and conceptual development lead for The Center for Nutritional Psychology, elaborated on this connection in an email to The Epoch Times.
She noted that stress prompts the secretion of cortisol, a hormone that affects the body in multiple ways, including increasing appetite. When this reaction is repeatedly activated, as in chronic stress, it leads to stronger cravings for high-calorie, hyper-palatable foods, which many find hard to resist, such as chips and chocolate.
Behairy explained that comfort foods deliver a twofold benefit for those who stress eat. Foods like chocolate, ice cream, salty snacks, and processed carbohydrates provide both physical and emotional relief.
“These foods can activate the brain’s reward pathways, leading to the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine that temporarily reduce negative feelings,” she noted, adding that carbohydrate-rich foods particularly boost serotonin and dopamine levels, both of which are pivotal in mood regulation.
“Moreover, these comfort foods often carry emotional connotations, providing a sense of safety or familiarity during stressful periods,” she continued.
“This gives a short-lived sense of comfort but can trap individuals in a repetitive cycle whereby food becomes the chosen coping strategy for stress,” Behairy added.
Another component that complicates this relationship is the connection between our brain and gut health.
“Chronic stress can harm gut health, increasing intestinal permeability—a condition often termed ‘leaky gut,’” she explained.
“This situation allows harmful substances to seep into the bloodstream, potentially increasing inflammation in the brain and further affecting mood and stress reactions,” Behairy stated.
Loneliness Fuels Stress Eating
The combination of physiological, psychological, and behavioral aspects of loneliness makes stress eating as a coping strategy more understandable. Feelings of isolation and vulnerability intensify in lonely states, which can result in heightened emotional dysregulation and stress, Behairy described. In this light, comfort foods provide a rapid, albeit temporary, relief from feelings of loneliness.
Greater diversity within the gut microbiome is associated with improved emotional well-being and a larger social network. This dynamic interaction between gut health and brain function can affect mood and decision-making, which in turn influences dietary habits like stress eating, Behairy noted.
Emphasizing Social Connections
As highlighted in Park’s research, nurturing robust social bonds can provide protection against stress-induced eating.
Behairy acknowledges that establishing meaningful relationships requires deliberate effort, particularly in the often isolating climate of modern life. She recommends engaging in group activities such as clubs or volunteer opportunities to connect with others who share similar interests. You can also enhance existing relationships through consistent communication and active listening. In cases where forming connections is challenging, professional support like counseling or support groups may be beneficial.
“While virtual interactions hold value, prioritizing face-to-face connections fosters deeper emotional support,” Behairy emphasized.
Park reflected on a personal insight drawn from her study: individuals likely receive more benefit from social interactions in times of stress than they might suspect.
“Reach out to someone. The conversation doesn’t have to revolve around that specific stressor—just feeling connected to others offers intrinsic rewards and satisfaction, which I believe is central to healthier stress management,” she suggested.
She also emphasized that being an emotional support for someone else yields benefits as well.
“It’s also crucial to understand that people genuinely want to be there for others they care about. While providing support may not always be straightforward or pleasurable, people enjoy feeling capable and dependable for their loved ones,” she noted.
“So keep this in mind if you find yourself hesitating to open up to others due to the fear of being a burden when stressed,” Park cautioned.
Indicators of Chronic Stress Eating
Stress eating is classified as chronic when it manifests in consistent behavioral patterns rather than just occasional incidents.
If you’re concerned about developing a habit, Behairy recommends watching for ongoing cravings for high-calorie, sugary, or fatty foods in response to stress. Feelings of guilt, shame, or regret after eating may indicate an emotional underpinning in your food choices. Furthermore, unusually large portions or excessive snacking, even without actual hunger, can signal chronic stress eating.
“Moreover, choosing solitary eating over social interactions or activities can reflect deeper emotional struggles,” she added.
Additional Strategies
To successfully break the stress-eating cycle, it’s essential to address both the physiological and psychological roots, as Behairy suggests. The first step is recognizing that you are engaging in stress eating and identifying your triggers.
Stress can appear in numerous forms, and triggers might range from interpersonal issues to environmental disturbances like noisy neighbors, work pressures, or fatigue. Behairy recommends implementing mindfulness practices to differentiate between physical hunger and emotional urges when stressed.
“Alternative coping methods like physical exercise, journaling, or relaxation techniques can serve as healthier outlets for emotional distress,” she proposed.
It’s crucial to consider not only what you eat when stressed but also your awareness of these behaviors. The comfort foods often chosen have implications that can perpetuate stress eating.
“Consumption of certain foods—especially those that are calorie-dense and nutritionally poor—can lead to alterations in brain structure and function, as well as disruptions in gut microbiota,” mentioned Behairy.
Opting for comfort foods can ignite the stress-eating cycle, making it progressively challenging to escape. To break this cycle, prioritizing whole foods over processed options is essential.
“Adhering to a balanced, nutrient-dense diet supports emotional regulation and brain health, offering a pathway out of the cycle,” she explained. “Intentional food choices and balanced meals help stabilize blood sugar levels, potentially curtailing cravings and episodes of emotional eating.”
A balanced diet emphasizes minimally processed whole foods, which are less likely to come packaged, including fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, eggs, beans, and whole grains.
The next time stress grips you, try taking a moment to choose social connection over chips. Though a good conversation may not provide the same immediate gratification, your future self will appreciate the benefits.
