According to research from the University of California, women are more likely to eat high-calorie foods when they feel lonely.
A study from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) found that women are more likely to eat caloric foods during the periods of loneliness.
The research analyzed the behavior of 93 women, divided into two groups: those with high scores on the social isolation scale and those with low scores.
Participants who felt lonelier had a higher percentage of fat, a lower-quality diet and food addiction. They also had higher levels of depression and anxiety.
Food as an escape and relief from loneliness
According to psychologist Juliana Santos Lemos, specialist in Eating Behavior and Obesity at FAECH/MG, to compensate for the lack of company, women use food as the greatest or only source of pleasure.
“Food becomes a relief valve, a form of distraction to escape from reality and relieve temporary pain”, adds the specialist in Psychopathology and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy of the PUC/RS.
According to the psychologist, loneliness generates or worsens conditions such as anxiety, stress or depression, leading to emotional hunger.
In these cases, preference goes to foods rich in sugars and fats, such as offer a quick sensation of pleasure. This is because they activate the limbic system of the brain, a region that involves emotions and the mechanism of gain and reward.
“When you eat a dessert, for example, which is very appetizing, there is a reduction in stressful symptoms, the effect of which ends up being registered by the brain. In other words, when a woman is anxious, an association will automatically be created with sweets. As a sort of escape and relief from the emotional state, conditioning her to food in moments of tension”, explains Juliana.
Compromised health
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 49% of people suffering from eating disorders are obese and 15% are morbidly obese. The psychologist explains that stress increases the release of hormones such as cortisol.
“At higher than normal levels, cortisol increases blood sugar. It increases the desire to eat high-calorie foods and promotes weight gain with the accumulation of abdominal fat.”
Gastric bloating, according to Juliana, is also used as experiential avoidance. “Women end up taking their attention away from their problems and toward the feeling of fullness and fulfillment that food provides,” she says.
Treatment
Psychotherapy is an ally in the process of developing the emotional repertoire, helping to eliminate the sense of guilt that arises when one is unable to control habits conditioned by emotions.
“The repertoire helps to understand and create a support network and to restructure beliefs and emotional regulation in relation to food, replacing harmful behaviors and increasing preventive ones”, evaluates Juliana.
In this sense, according to the expert, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the “gold standard” for the treatment of eating disorders, weight loss and obesity.
“With this approach it is possible to understand the aspects that precede food intake and that define the set of cognitions that build the eating process, as well as manage other factors that influence physical and mental health”, he concludes.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
