An important project at work, arguing with the partner – and suddenly there is no end to the feed. Stress can affect eating behavior. The body’s own stress hormones are to blame. But how exactly does it come about and how can the craving for sweets be stopped?
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Chocolate as a stress reliever
Who more often in stressful phases chocolate, Cookies or chips is not alone. “Around 40 percent of people eat more due to stress, but just as many also avoid eating more often during periods of stress,” says André Kleinridders from the German Institute for Nutritional Research. The remaining 20 percent do not change their eating behavior at all. How the body reacts to stress is very individual.
But one thing is certain: around 11 percent of the population in Germany suffer from chronic stress. This emerges from the study on adult health in Germany.
What does stress do to the body?
Stress puts the body on alert. Adrenaline, a stress hormone, makes people forget about any appetite at the moment of an acute danger and enables them to run away or fight. “A system that was useful in our time and was essential for survival,” says Kleinridders.
In the resting phase following the stress, the body tries to retrieve what it used up during a possible flight or fight. “This is why we have an appetite for particularly easily digestible carbohydrates, such as chips,” explains Lars Selig, head of the nutrition clinic at Leipzig University Hospital.
Overweight due to stress
Even with prolonged stress, stress hormones are released – from the group of glucocorticoids. You can increase the appetite, although the body does not actually need any food. Because: Today’s cognitive stress uses far less energy than an escape or a fight in the past. Especially with chronic stress there is a risk of being overweight.
Sweets as a reward
Chocolate is a reward for many (Source: Christin Klose / dpa-tmn)
The so-called mesolimbic system or reward system also influences eating behavior. Sweet or food itself does not directly satisfy the reward system, but it does the positive feelings associated with sweet. “Anyone who has learned as a child that sweets are used as a reward will want to reward themselves with sweets as an adult,” explains Selig.
The association “sweets are a reward and feels good” is then learned and particularly difficult to discard. Ideally, children don’t get chocolate when they have done something well – and also not as encouragement when they are sad.
Is chocolate always bad when stressed?
And how bad is it to calm down with a bar of chocolate in stressful times? If this is only the case for a short time, Prof. Klotter sees no major problem: “If, for example, students take more sweets during the examination phase, that is perfectly fine.” However, if food becomes a permanent manager of uncomfortable feelings, it can be devastating. “In the worst case scenario, this leads to real eating attacks, after which you have an even worse conscience.”
How can you stop craving for sweets?
Adults can try to protect themselves – for example, by buying less sweet or fatty foods and not storing anything directly at their desks. “Stress increases impulsiveness and reduces cognitive decision-making, so it is difficult to cope with inner desires,” explains Kleinridders.
However, those who want to fight against constant snacking with strict prohibitions will not be successful. “Anything that is forbidden will only become more attractive,” says Prof. Christoph Klotter, nutrition psychologist at Fulda University of Applied Sciences. And: “We have an innate preference for sweets.” The sweet taste characterizes harmless foods, and sweets usually contain many calories. “Both were essential for survival in our times.”
How can long-term stress eating be avoided?
“The first step is to consciously perceive that you are stressed and to find out which situations trigger this stress,” says Selig. The second step is to think about how to cope with stress without resorting to chocolate. The following tips can help:
- It helps some people to try a few relaxation exercises or autogenic training in the evening – on the one hand to distract themselves and on the other hand to become generally more stress-resistant.
- Finding the cause of the stress: A clarifying conversation with the boss or colleagues may change the initial situation.
- Alternative rewards: for some this could be a few flowers, for someone else a pleasant conversation with friends and for a third party maybe a walk in the park.
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Important NOTE: The information is by no means a substitute for professional advice or treatment by trained and recognized doctors. The content of t-online.de cannot and must not be used to independently make diagnoses or start treatments.
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