Study Reveals: Snacking and Streaming as True Survival Strategies During Lockdown

It seems obvious that people in stressful or lonely times turn more to unhealthy food or entertainment. However, a study from the University of Vienna comes to a different conclusion: indulgences were used during the Corona lockdowns more to maintain an already good mood – and not to combat negative feelings.

“Some reward strategies help us maintain our well-being in difficult times,” explains psychologist Giorgia Silani. Therefore, one should not overly problematize a temporarily increased consumption – such as more unhealthy food or television.

Study with Surprising Results

The research team led by Silani and Ana Stijovic collected data from around 800 adults from Austria, Germany, and Italy during the first lockdown in 2020. Several times a day, participants reported via an app how they felt and which indulgences they engaged in – from food to tobacco to series consumption.

The result: people who felt good and had more social interaction also consumed "comfort food" more frequently, spent more time in front of screens, or turned to alcohol and cigarettes. In contrast, a bad mood was more associated with lower indulgence consumption.

“We could not confirm the widespread assumption that people 'sin' more in times of crisis to comfort themselves,” emphasizes Silani. The results of the study were published in the journal Biological Psychiatry.

Food as a Means of Mood Regulation

The focus of the study was on eating behavior. Specifically, foods such as chocolate, chips, fast food, and cheese were recorded – healthy alternatives were not separately considered. Nevertheless, it became clear that eating plays a role in emotion regulation – just differently than expected.

A look at nature supports these findings: After a hurricane on a Pacific island, monkeys exhibited similar behavior by staying closer together and sharing food. “This shows that social interactions and shared experiences are an important strategy for coping with threats,” says Silani.

Do Not Condemn Comfort Consumption Across the Board

The researcher warns against generally evaluating comfort consumption negatively in times of crisis. Of course, excessive indulgence in fast food, alcohol, or cigarettes is problematic in the long term. Nevertheless, it is a “natural mechanism” to reach for small pleasures in difficult phases – whether through good food, shared TV evenings, or online games.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.