What Causes Emotional Eating?

The concept of comfort foods is something of which many people are aware. Why do people turn to food when they've had a bad day or when they want to reward themselves for something? Most people have an emotional connection to food. This connection occurs for a variety of reasons.

When Emotional Eating Occurs

Although the stereotype for emotional eating shows people turning to comfort foods when they are unhappy, a study by Brain Wansink, Ph.D., professor of marketing and nutritional science at Cornell and director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, showed that this is not always the case. According to his study, 86 percent of people said that they eat comfort foods when they are happy and 74 percent said they eat to reward themselves.

Foods Chosen

The foods people choose as comfort foods vary from person to person. The food choice may not always be necessarily unhealthy, as some people find soup and meat to be comforting rather than chips and sweets. These foods have a strong emotional connection to the person, and that is why they are picked. Usually people become attached to these foods subconsciously at some point in their lives. Links to comfort foods can be formed at any age, not just during childhood.

Memories

Emotional eating can occur when pleasant or sentimental memories are attached to a certain food. Some people may eat french fries with chocolate shakes because it was something they did as a child with their parents. Others may seek comfort in popcorn because it reminds them of college. Foods that remind people of good times in their lives may be eaten to bring back some of the feelings associated with that time.

Food Traits

People have a tendency to anthropomorphize the food that they eat. Steak can be viewed as "tough" or "manly," while soup is viewed as "comforting". The idea that the food we eat says something about who we are can significantly affect emotional eating. If a person feels like they're being "tough" by eating a steak, he may choose to eat it to feel tougher. Persons also may eat soup if they feel they need to be comforted. People often eat comfort foods that carry the traits they have or aspire to have.

Conditioning

Conditioning can occur that causes people to turn to food for comfort. If a person who has a bad day goes to get ice cream one time, there's really nothing significant about it. However, if the person goes to get ice cream every time he has a bad day, a great day or feels he deserves a reward, a type of conditioning occurs. Since she has chosen to seek ice cream emotionally, so many times it just becomes a habit.

References

• Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think; Brian Wansink, Ph.D; 2006