Feeling blue = eating more fat? It's science, b**ches!

CollegiateGrief
CollegiateGrief Posts: 552 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Link to article: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/06/04/188706043/feeling-a-little-blue-may-mask-our-ability-to-taste-fat

This article points to a study where people who were already feeling mildly depressed/anxious were exposed to external stimuli designed to induce strong emotional responses, both happy and sad. Both times, their ability to sense the amount of fat they were consuming was lessened. However, when watching a "boring" training video, their ability to detect the amount of fat in their food remained intact.

What does this prove? Well, nothing, really. But it may point to another biological factor in just why so many people overeat/eat emotionally.

Replies

  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
    tumblr_m12bh81GzO1rn95k2o1_500.gif
  • pestopoli
    pestopoli Posts: 111 Member
    I can totally see this playing a role in overeating.

    I'm more on the anxious side of the spectrum, and was dealing with a lot of emotional/binge eating issues right before I joined MFP. When something went wrong with my day that made me freak out, I would immediately think "*kitten* IT, I'm going to Taco Bell."
  • artsycella
    artsycella Posts: 121 Member
    When something went wrong with my day that made me freak out, I would immediately think "*kitten* IT, I'm going to Taco Bell."

    Oh god, that's me in a nutshell. At least now I know why chalupas are just so darn tasty when I've had a bad day!
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    I'm not eating extra fat because I can't taste it. I enjoy the delicious flavor of every bit of extra butterfat, olive oil, and well marbled beef that goes in my mouth.
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
    Link to article: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/06/04/188706043/feeling-a-little-blue-may-mask-our-ability-to-taste-fat

    This article points to a study where people who were already feeling mildly depressed/anxious were exposed to external stimuli designed to induce strong emotional responses, both happy and sad. Both times, their ability to sense the amount of fat they were consuming was lessened. However, when watching a "boring" training video, their ability to detect the amount of fat in their food remained intact.

    What does this prove? Well, nothing, really. But it may point to another biological factor in just why so many people overeat/eat emotionally.

    I get the concept though. If I'm emotional watching Celebrity Rehab (don't judge hahahha) on TV and I've got one hand in a bag of chips, I can watch a whole episode and eat a whole bag of chips mindlessly. But I can't say the same of mindlessly eating celery. That crap just doesn't happen.

    Do I think it's super scientific and I am therefore not to blame for the consumption of a bag of Doritos during a 1 hour episode? Well, no. (:
  • PepperWorm
    PepperWorm Posts: 1,206
    yeahscience*****.PNG
  • RhonndaJ
    RhonndaJ Posts: 1,615 Member
    This may well be true, I don't know.

    What I do know is that when I'm feeling blue, depressed, anxious, I crave high fat content foods, so I think it would only relate to the amount I was likely to eat. However, I've learned that high fat content foods actually will make me feel depressed, and prolong the bad feeling, so there's that to consider as well.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Supposedly a lack of sleep also causes you to crave more fats and sugars. Which is probably why that's all I want to eat.

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