During the first COVID-19 lockdown, researchers of the University of Vienna assessed the influence of stress, mood, and social interactions on "unhealthy" eating habits in nearly 800 participants across Austria, Italy, and Germany. Surprisingly, results showed that negative mood and less social interactions led to a decrease in "unhealthy" food consumption and enjoyment. At the same time eating "unhealthy" meals in fact seemed to help maintain already positive emotions and reduce stress – but not to uplift a negative mood. These findings highlight the role of food in coping with emotional challenges. The study, led by psychologists Ana Stijovic and Giorgia Silani from the University of Vienna, is now published in the scientific journal Biological Psychiatry.

In previous studies COVID-19 lockdowns were linked to a surge in unhealthy food-related behaviors. The psychological cause of such behaviors has remained unclear, they were potentially seen as an attempt to cope with disrupted social habits and negative feelings. In order to understand such a relationship, this new study examined the association between momentary stress, mood, social interactions, and unhealthy food-related behaviors in everyday life. To do so, an international team led by Ana Stijovic and Giorgia Silani from the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Vienna analyzed data collected during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Austria, Italy and Germany. The nearly 800 participants reported multiple times a day, for seven consecutive days, on momentary stress, mood, wanting of food rich in sugar, fat and salt, consumption and enjoyment of such food and quantity and quality of social interactions. The scientists asked about food such as chocolate, crisps, fast food, sweets and cheese. Their findings disproved the previous assumptions.

"Contrary to our expectations, results showed that positive mood and quantity and quality of social interactions were associated with greater 'unhealthy' food consumption and enjoyment, while negative mood and less social contact with less consumption and enjoyment", explains Giorgia Silani. "Eating together has an important role in supporting bonding and these occasions involve a higher provision of food than in private settings. Therefore, also the food consumption is higher. In addition to food, we found that a lack of social interactions was also linked to less consumption of a wide variety of other rewards like watching TV or smoking."

At the same time "unhealthy" food consumption was linked to a reduction in stress and an increase in calmness, suggesting that "unhealthy" food was still used to regulate the mood. But: "Food was used to maintain an already positive mood, not so much to uplift a negative mood", says Silani. These findings highlight the complex interplay between affective and social factors influencing "unhealthy" eating behaviors.