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Throughout the first COVID-19 lockdown, researchers on the College of Vienna assessed the affect of stress, temper, and social interactions on unhealthy consuming habits in almost 800 individuals throughout Austria, Italy, and Germany. Surprisingly, outcomes confirmed that unfavourable temper and fewer social interactions led to a lower in unhealthy meals consumption and delight.
On the similar time, consuming unhealthy meals in reality appeared to assist keep already optimistic feelings and cut back stress—however to not uplift a unfavourable temper. These findings spotlight the function of meals in dealing with emotional challenges.
The research, led by psychologists Ana Stijovic and Giorgia Silani from the College of Vienna, was printed within the journal Organic Psychiatry.
In earlier research, COVID-19 lockdowns have been linked to a surge in unhealthy food-related behaviors. The psychological reason for such behaviors has remained unclear. They have been probably seen as an try to deal with disrupted social habits and unfavourable emotions.
To be able to perceive such a relationship, this new research examined the affiliation between momentary stress, temper, social interactions, and unhealthy food-related behaviors in on a regular basis life.
To take action, a world group led by Ana Stijovic and Giorgia Silani from the Division of Scientific and Well being Psychology on the College of Vienna analyzed knowledge collected throughout the first COVID-19 lockdown in Austria, Italy and Germany.
The almost 800 individuals reported a number of instances a day, for seven consecutive days, on momentary stress, temper, need for meals wealthy in sugar, fats and salt, consumption and delight of such meals and amount and high quality of social interactions. The scientists requested about meals corresponding to chocolate, crisps, quick meals, sweets and cheese. Their findings disproved the earlier assumptions.
“Contrary to our expectations, results showed that positive mood and quantity and quality of social interactions were associated with greater ‘unhealthy’ food consumption and enjoyment, while negative mood and less social contact with less consumption and enjoyment,” explains Giorgia Silani.
“Eating together has an important role in supporting bonding and these occasions involve a higher provision of food than in private settings. Therefore, food consumption is also higher. In addition to food, we found that a lack of social interaction was also linked to less consumption of a wide variety of other rewards, like watching TV or smoking.”
On the similar time, unhealthy meals consumption was linked to a discount in stress and a rise in calmness, suggesting that unhealthy meals was nonetheless used to manage temper. However “food was used to maintain an already positive mood, not so much to uplift a negative mood,” says Silani. These findings spotlight the advanced interaction between affective and social components influencing unhealthy consuming behaviors.
Extra info:
Ana Stijovic et al, Affective and Social Predictors of Meals Consumption Throughout the COVID-19 Lockdown, Organic Psychiatry (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.02.007
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Opposite to expectations, unfavourable temper and low social contact linked to much less unhealthy consuming throughout COVID-19 lockdown (2025, February 28)
retrieved 1 March 2025
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