Ana Carolina Aguiar-Bloemer1, Rosa Wanda Diez-Garcia2. 1. Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Food Practices and Behavior-PrátiCA, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil. carol.aguiar@usp.br. 2. Department of Internal Medicine and Laboratory of Food Practices and Behavior-PrátiCA, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Considering the importance of replicating real-life experiences in studying emotional eating, this study investigated the influence of emotions evoked by life events on food choice in normal-weight and overweight women. METHODS: Normal-weight (n = 21) and overweight women (n = 23) aged 25-42 years were assigned to one of two different conditions: in one, they were shown a video with scenes of daily activities to elicit neutral responses; in the other, they were shown a video with scenes of common problems to evoke negative emotions. The participants were then offered a brunch containing sweet, salty, and healthy food items to evaluate their consumption and food choice. RESULTS: Exposure to negative emotions evoked by life problems increased energy intake in both groups, but they differed in terms of food choice. The normal-weight women increased only the consumption of sweet food (p = 0.044), whereas the overweight women significantly increased ingestion of sweet and salty foods (sweet food p = 0.031; salty food p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: The results show that common problems of life might trigger food consumption in the presence of high availability. Both groups increased food consumption after negative emotions and the normal-weight group had a higher increase than the overweight group. However, normal-weight women increased consumption of sweet foods, whereas overweight women consumed more salty, fried, and sweet foods. Healthy food was not chosen under these conditions. This should serve as a warning for the risks of excess exposure to high-sugar or high-fat food as everyday problems will not cease to exist. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II: evidence obtained from well-designed controlled trials without randomization.
PURPOSE: Considering the importance of replicating real-life experiences in studying emotional eating, this study investigated the influence of emotions evoked by life events on food choice in normal-weight and overweight women. METHODS: Normal-weight (n = 21) and overweight women (n = 23) aged 25-42 years were assigned to one of two different conditions: in one, they were shown a video with scenes of daily activities to elicit neutral responses; in the other, they were shown a video with scenes of common problems to evoke negative emotions. The participants were then offered a brunch containing sweet, salty, and healthy food items to evaluate their consumption and food choice. RESULTS: Exposure to negative emotions evoked by life problems increased energy intake in both groups, but they differed in terms of food choice. The normal-weight women increased only the consumption of sweet food (p = 0.044), whereas the overweight women significantly increased ingestion of sweet and salty foods (sweet food p = 0.031; salty food p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: The results show that common problems of life might trigger food consumption in the presence of high availability. Both groups increased food consumption after negative emotions and the normal-weight group had a higher increase than the overweight group. However, normal-weight women increased consumption of sweet foods, whereas overweight women consumed more salty, fried, and sweet foods. Healthy food was not chosen under these conditions. This should serve as a warning for the risks of excess exposure to high-sugar or high-fat food as everyday problems will not cease to exist. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II: evidence obtained from well-designed controlled trials without randomization.
Authors: Cristina Elizabeth Fuente González; Jorge Luis Chávez-Servín; Karina de la Torre-Carbot; Dolores Ronquillo González; María de Los Ángeles Aguilera Barreiro; Laura Regina Ojeda Navarro Journal: J Obes Date: 2022-05-18
Authors: Camille R Schneider-Worthington; Kathryn E Smith; James N Roemmich; Sarah-Jeanne Salvy Journal: Appetite Date: 2021-10-30 Impact factor: 3.868