Stress-Eating: How It May Be Affecting Your Health

Comfort food is, by definition, comforting; however, when eaten in excess, comfort food can be very damaging to the body. Traditional comfort foods are commonly high in sugar, salt, and fat – all of which contribute to a plethora of chronic illnesses including, but not limited to, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, and diabetes. Comfort foods are most commonly consumed when an individual is experiencing a hyper-emotional state. This can include feelings of happiness, sadness, and stress. The current volatile and unpredictable social, political, educational, and medical climates result in heightened feelings of stress and anxiety, leading many people to engage in unhealthy eating habits. Stress is a significant individual and public health problem that affects the body and the mind. It is estimated that “between 75% and 90% of primary care physician visits are caused by stress-related illnesses…stress also influences behaviors that affect health such as diet choices, sleep habits, and drug use” (Jackson, 2007).  Understanding the effects of stress and how it relates to obesogenic behaviors is essential to preventing and treating obesity and co-occurring disorders.

Every day, people all over the world are dealing with a new reality. Unfortunately, Covid-19 has upended many people’s lives. Compounded onto that stress, is the stress associated with job insecurity, an unstable political climate, holiday stresses, medical issues, and anxiety associated with everyday matters. According to Sims et al. (2008), greater perceived stress is associated with a shift toward unhealthy dietary practices (Sims et al., 2008). An increase in stress is also linked to emotional eating and haphazard dietary planning (Sims et al., 2008). Emotional eating involves the consumption of foods that are high in sugar and fat. Researchers report that these highly palatable foods, called “comfort foods,” eliminate or reduce the intensity of negative emotional states (Sims et al., 2008). When compared to nonstress-driven eaters, stress-driven eaters were reported to have greater body-mass indexes (BMI), and consumed more sausages, hamburgers, pizza, and chocolate, which are traditionally high in fat content, and drank more alcohol (Sims et al., 2008).

Stress affects different people, well, differently. According to a study conducted by Lee et al. (2013), females experience a greater degree of perceived stress than their male counterparts (Lee et al., 2013). Minority populations are also disproportionately affected by psychosocial stress due to racial discrimination and other forms of social marginalization (Lee et al., 2013). This means that minority women seemingly get the short end of the stick and experience stress at alarmingly high rates. Because of this, women in minority populations are more likely to engage in cultural/lifestyle eating and snacking on sweets (Sims et al., 2008). Cultural/lifestyle eating is defined as eating that is associated with a specific culture. For example, in African American culture, large meals are often prepared on Sundays. Traditionally, these large meals consist of meats, starches, and vegetables cooked with salt, fat, and sugar. While these Sunday dinners are not the sole cause of obesity and co-occurring disorders, they certainly do not improve cardiovascular health in the African American community.

Eating habits are learned, so culture and tradition certainly play a role in determining whether someone stress eats; however, Covid-19 has created the perfect storm. A year ago, people had plenty of options to choose from regarding stress-relief including social interaction, exercise, and eating out at a restaurant. Physical activity is one of the greatest stress-relieving activities. There have been consistent findings that people report feeling calmer after a 20- to 30-minute bout of aerobic exercise, and the calming effect can last for several hours after exercise has ended (Jackson, 2007). The same can be said for social interaction. Research suggests that social support in humans and affiliative behaviors in some animals can provide a buffer against stress and have a positive impact on measures of health and well-being (DeVries, Glasper & Detillion, 2003). Today, these options have either been modified, reduced, or prohibited as people are encouraged to stay at home in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. Environments that encourage physical activity such as parks and fitness facilities have been closed, social gatherings limited or canceled altogether, and recreational businesses such as movie theaters and museums temporarily shuttered. While for the greater good, these mitigation efforts are negatively affecting the public’s ability to cope with the anxiety of the current times, and in an attempt to self-soothe, people are turning to food.

A new reality does not necessarily have to be a bad one. There are healthy ways to combat stress that do not include binge eating Cheetos and gummy worms, they just take a little imagination. Over the course of the last few months, people have discovered new hobbies, engaged in DIY and art projects around their homes, reconnected with immediate family members, and baked tons of banana bread. People have also experimented with exercising at home and practicing guided meditations, Tai Chi, and yoga. Studies conducted on the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of Tai Chi and yoga indicate that sessions between 60 and 90 minutes performed two to three days per week were effective in reducing stress and improving feelings of well-being (Jackson, 2007). Another study discovered that when paired with a health education program, the Transcendental Meditation technique greatly reduced stress and blood pressure in participants over a 16-week period (Duraimani et al., 2015).

While comfort food can improve a bad mood, it does not improve cardiovascular function. Finding different ways to cope with stress is important for people who desire to live longer, healthier lives, even during a pandemic. Whether it’s creating new traditions, finding a new hobby, exercising at home, or finding healthier ways to cook traditional versions of “comfort food,” there are stress-coping options available. Also, remember…progress, not perfection!

Keywords: stress, comfort food, Covid-19, emotional eating

 

References

Adam, T. C., & Epel, E. S. (2007). Stress, eating and the reward system. Psychology & Behavior, 91, 449-458.

Devries, A., Glasper, E. R., & Detillion, C. E. (2003). Social modulation of stress responses. Physiology & Behavior, 79(3), 399-407. doi:10.1016/s0031-9384(03)00152-5

Duraimani, S., Schneider, R. H., Randall, O. S., Nidich, S. I., Xu, S., Ketete, M., . . . Fagan, J. (2015). Effects of lifestyle modification on telomerase gene expression in hypertensive patients: A pilot trial of stress reduction and health education programs in African Americans. Plos One, 10(11), 1-19. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0142689

Jackson, E. M. (2013). Stress relief. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 17(3), 14-19. doi:10.1249/fit.0b013e31828cb1c9

Lee, H., Kershaw, K. N., Hicken, M. T., Abdou, C. M., Williams, E. S., Rivera-O’reilly, N., & Jackson, J. S. (2013). Cardiovascular Disease among Black Americans: Comparisons between the U.S. Virgin Islands and the 50 U.S. States. Public Health Reports, 128(3), 170-178. doi:10.1177/003335491312800307

Sims, R., Gordon, S., Garcia, W., Clark, E., Monye, D., Callender, C., & Campbell, A. (2008). Perceived stress and eating behaviors in a community-based sample of African Americans. Eating Behaviors, 9(2), 137-142. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2007.06.006

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https://www.creditloan.com/blog/cost-of-eating-at-restaurants-in-america/

https://www.refrigeratedfrozenfood.com/articles/99638-comfort-food-consumption-rises-due-to-the-pandemic-says-survey-by-onepoll-and-farm-rich

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