Sitting with girlfriends eating ice cream straight from the tub after a breakup. Pizza on a Friday night to wind down after the stress of the work week. Polishing off a bag of jelly snakes at your desk as you hurry to meet that deadline. Idly perusing the fridge between Zoom meetings. These scenes are easy to imagine as many of us turn to food as a way to soothe feelings of boredom, anxiety and sadness.
In fact, a recent CSIRO analysis of nearly 2,000 Australians revealed mood significantly influences eating behaviours; with 75% eating more when bored, more than 50% eating more when feeling depressed, and nearly 50% eating less when happy.
This behaviour, using food to cope with uncomfortable emotions, is known as emotional eating. Because the types of foods that we tend to go for when emotionally eating are highly processed and loaded with fat, salt or sugar, if left unchecked, this habit can very quickly lead to weight gain.
Why do we eat emotionally?
When we get stressed, the body produces a number of biological responses. Cortisol is released and it provides a surge of energy responsible for controlling your body's use of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and even your metabolism. Unfortunately, this response is also associated with increased appetite which can come in the form of a desire for those highly processed foods.
Emotional eating can be a difficult habit to break and part of that is due to its cyclical nature. Indulging in comfort foods can often lead to a sense of guilt. In turn, the guilt may cause an increase in overall stress which leads to an increase in emotional eating. And because stress eating involves indulging in foods that are high in fat, salt or sugar; reward triggers in our brain are activated, further cementing the behaviour.
The real kicker? Comfort foods may actually worsen our stress an anxiety, according to a recent study. This is because these are usually high-fat foods and eating too much fat can lead to an imbalance in gut bacteria, which then influences our brain chemicals.
What’s the long-term impact of regular emotional eating?
Unfortunately, not many people find comfort with a big bowl of salad. CSIRO’s research found that chocolate was the most-turned-to food, followed by cheese, then bread rolls. Men were most likely to indulge in beer and processed meats, while women sought comfort in crackers, cakes and muffins.
Unlike a big serving of raw vegetables, it’s not difficult to see how over time, excessive consumption of these high-kilojoule foods will result in weight gain (and the related health complications like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, chronic pain etc).
Psychologically, indulging in emotional eating may result in a feeling of guilt that can persist well beyond after food is consumed. This feeling of guilt can result in a long term decline of self worth. A negative self image, whether you are experiencing weight gain for the first time, or are regaining previously lost weight, can encourage the cyclical behaviours of emotional eating. Because of these risks, it is important to not only recognise when we emotionally eat, but also to build healthier habits to cope with discomfort.
How to build healthier habits around food and our emotions
People may have different eating habits depending on where they are in their weight loss journey. People who are successfully managing their weight loss have different habits than people at the earlier stages of weight loss.
Successful dieters were far less likely to use eating as a way of coping with negative emotions, were more aware of their habits, and were more likely to notice when their eating behaviours were getting off track. The data highlights that building healthier habits requires more than just good intentions; it requires support to make small, incremental changes that can be sustained over the longer-term. Speak to your GP if you need help losing weight.
So, what’s the best way to leave behind those unhealthy habits and make the lifestyle changes you need?
1. Identify your emotions
Consider keeping a diary of your emotions and the times you feel compelled to eat and you might see a pattern emerge, helping you identify your emotional eating triggers.
2. Swap behaviours
Rather than reaching for food for your emotions, create a list of 10 different activities that you can do when you feel your emotions rising and you need to reset the balance. These could include a walk around the block, stretching, calling a friend, taking a shower and so on.
3. Know yourself
Take the CSIRO Healthy Habits Quiz to receive personalised insights and strategies tailored to your unique habits and goals.
4. Do meal planning and prep
Create meal plans for the week to ensure balanced and healthy eating. This includes making shopping lists and prepping ingredients in advance. This will minimise the chances of making unhealthy choices when you’re bored or hungry.
Use fresh ingredients to prepare meals at home, giving you control over what you eat and helping you make healthier choices.
5. Have regular meals
Eat meals at consistent times throughout the day to maintain a steady energy level and avoid overeating.
Start your day with a nutritious and substantial breakfast to kickstart your metabolism and keep you full longer. Adequately fuelling your body will also better equip you to deal with stress and uncomfortable emotions.
6. Manage your portions
Be mindful of portion sizes to avoid overeating. Use strategies like measuring food or using smaller plates to help control portions.
Listen to your body and stop eating when you are satisfied, and always eat without the distraction of the TV or your phone.
7. Start healthy snacking
Opt for healthy snacks such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, or other nutritious options. Limit snacking: control the frequency and portion size of snacks to maintain a balanced diet.
8. Eat mindfully
Eat based on feelings of hunger and fullness cues rather than just finishing your plate. Avoid bringing any high-fat or sugary foods into your home if you can’t control your portions or they trigger overeating.
9. Find a balance
While reaching for food on a regular basis to deal with your emotions can have a negative impact on your health, remember that food is there to be enjoyed and can be used in a positive way. Enjoy a glass of wine with friends to celebrate an achievement, or a piece of cake at a birthday. It’s all about balance!
Nicole Pritchard is a CSIRO Total Wellbeing Dietitian. Article courtesy of CSIRO.
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