Snack Attacks: How loneliness hijacks your diet and sanity

Tuesday, June 4, 2024.

Feeling lonely and craving that second slice of chocolate cake? You’re not alone—literally!

Turns out, loneliness isn't just a bummer for your social life; it’s a recipe for dietary disaster too.

A recent study reveals that lonely women are more likely to indulge in calorie-packed comfort foods like cakes and chocolates.

Why? Because these sweet treats offer a temporary fix to the sting of social isolation.

The Sweet (and Sour) Side of Loneliness

According to the study, women who feel lonelier tend to reach for more calorie-dense foods and drinks.

These goodies provide a feel-good effect, momentarily numbing the social pain of loneliness.

However, this temporary relief comes at a cost.

Socially isolated women are more prone to being overweight and developing unhealthy eating habits like poor diet quality, food addiction, cravings, and binge eating. Not to mention, they’re at higher risk for mental health issues such as depression, lower psychological resilience, and anxiety.

Loneliness and Cravings: A Vicious Cycle

With the rise of remote work post-pandemic, many folks find themselves more isolated than ever.

Researchers wanted to dig deeper into the negative effects of loneliness, specifically how it impacts eating habits and mental health. Evidence suggests a strong link between overeating, obesity, and mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

Dr. Arpana Gupta, the study’s co-author, highlighted the novelty of their research: “Researching how the brain processes loneliness and how this is related to obesity and health outcomes hasn’t been done.”

How the study was conducted

To explore this, the study recruited 93 healthy women, dividing them into two groups based on their perceived social isolation levels. The lonelier group showed higher levels of depression and anxiety, a greater percentage of body fat, and more maladaptive eating behaviors, including poor diet, cravings, reward-based eating, and binge eating.

What’s Going on in the Brain?

Participants' brain activity was monitored using MRI scans while they viewed images of sweet foods, savory foods, and non-food items.

Women who felt lonelier displayed increased activation in the inferior parietal lobule (IPL), a part of the brain's default mode network (DMN). The DMN plays a role in cognitive and social behaviors such as self-mentalizing, introspective awareness, and emotion regulation.

This heightened brain activity was particularly notable when the women experienced sugar cravings and a stronger desire for sweet foods. However, when they exercised self-control during food choices, this neural activity decreased.

Dr. Gupta observed; “These findings are interesting because it provides evidence for what we intuitively know. When people are alone or lonely, it impacts more than how they are feeling; they under-report what they eat, their desire to eat, and their cravings, especially for unhealthy foods.”

Dr. Xiaobei Zhang, the study’s first author, added, “If you have more cravings, you eat more and may have more anxiety or depression, which may lead you to eat more. A vicious cycle between unhealthy eating and negative mental symptoms.”

Breaking the Cycle

So, how do we break this cycle of loneliness and unhealthy eating? Here are a few tips:

• Stay Connected: Make an effort to contact friends and family, even if it's just a quick call or video chat.

• Mindful Eating: Pay attention to what and when you eat. Try to distinguish between physical hunger and emotional cravings.

• Seek Support: If you’re struggling with loneliness or unhealthy eating habits, consider talking to a therapist or joining a support group.

Final thoughts

Remember, it’s about what you eat and how you feel.

Addressing loneliness can help improve overall well-being and lead to healthier eating habits. So, next time you feel lonely, try reaching out to a friend instead of buying that second slice of cake.

Your body—and your brain—will thank you!

Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed

RESEARCH:
Zhang X, Ravichandran S, Gee GC, et al. Social Isolation, Brain Food Cue Processing, Eating Behaviors, and Mental Health Symptoms. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(4):e244855. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.4855