The study, conducted at Pennsylvania State University, reportedly found that eating poorly not only worsens moods, it also doesn’t do much to alter moods positively before or during meals.
“There was little in the way of mood changes right before the unhealthy eating behaviors,” said Kristin Heron, Ph.D., research associate at the Survey Research Center at PSU was quoted as saying by PsychCentral. “However, negative mood was significantly higher after these behaviors.”
The negative emotions experienced after treats are said to be primarily connected to concerns regarding body image and maintaining a proper diet.
Researchers reportedly collected data for the study by asking 131 women with unhealthy eating habits and self-image concerns – but who did not exhibit signs of an eating disorder – to travel with handheld computers that prompted the participants several times daily to answer questions about dietary choices and mood at a given time.
Study co-author Joshua Smyth, professor of biobehavioral health, was quoted as saying by PyschCentral, “This study is unique because it evaluates moods and eating behaviors as they occur in people’s daily lives, which can provide a more accurate picture of the relationship between emotions and eating.”