(EFC) Emotional Factors Lesson

Emotional Factors

mood&food The better your mood, the better you eat. THINK OF WHAT YOU'RE GRATEFUL FOR AND YOU'LL EAT UP TO 77% JOURNAL OF CONSUMER PSYCHOLOGY 2014)

Food is often linked to emotions. You may want comfort foods when you feel negative emotions, such as loneliness, boredom, or sadness.  Handling emotions in a positive way can help you eat healthfully. Emotions affect eating and negative moods and positive moods may actually lead to preferences for different kinds of foods. For example, if given the choice between grapes or chocolate, someone in a good mood may choose the former while someone in a bad mood may choose the latter.

Many people choose to eat or avoid certain foods for emotional reasons. Emotional responses can outweigh hunger pains and nutritional knowledge in its effect on food choices. For example: eat hot dog = get sick = never eat hot dog again.

Some emotional responses to food may be associated with gender. For example: meat and potatoes = male; quiche and parfaits = female.

Food can be used to express emotions (sometimes as a symbol of love and caring).

  • Serving food when there is a death in the family
  • Giving chocolate to cheer up a friend
  • Eating ice cream to celebrate good news
  • Serving chicken noodle soup when ill

Food can also be used to express emotions (that are harmful to the body).

  • Eating food to deal with fears
  • Eating more or less than the body needs (eating disorders)

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