Stress and Eating

Question 1

Why do we eat?

Answer 1

• hunger (prompt us to eat to replenish the body with the energy it needs
• appetite (living to eat)
• satiety (the feeling of fullness after we eat)

Question 2

What are the effects of internal factors on appetite?

Answer 2

mechanisms that regulate appetite, with hormones that stimulate food intake and leptin to reduce food intake

Question 3

What are external factors on appetite?

Answer 3

environmental factors and social factors and the palatability of foods

Question 4

What does a lesion to LH cause the body to do?

Answer 4

LH: tells you when you are hungry, therefore if there were a lesion here, youd never eat, which would decrease your weight

Question 5

What does a lesion to the VH cause the body to do?

Answer 5

VH: tells your body when you are full, if there were a lesion here, then you would never be full, and you would gain weight

Question 6

What is the positive incentive theory

Answer 6

mindful eating

Question 7

What are some environmental influences with eating

Answer 7

• food availability and climate

Question 8

What are some emotional factors influences with eating?

Answer 8

• stress, mood, perceptions

Question 9

What are some social influences?

Answer 9

• cultures, religions

Question 10

How does stress affect appetite?

Answer 10

response to stress can include:
- slowed gastric emptying
- elevation of blood pressure
- increased heart rate

Question 11

What is the difference between acute and chronic stress?

Answer 11

during acute stress, the body’s appetite shuts down, stored energy is used for fighting or fleeing
during chronic stress, body goes into fat storage mode

Question 12

What negative food habits does stress cause?

Answer 12

• increase in negative mood during stress = so more calories intake
• dopamine is released during eating
• eating comfort foods reduces negative hormonal and behavioural changes

Question 13

What are the health behaviours caused by stress?

Answer 13

• more likely to eat higher fat diets, with less fruits and vegetables
• smoke more
• drink more

Question 14

What are the effects of stress on food choice?

Answer 14

• fish, proteins, vegetables are decreased during high stress periods
• stressors will increase food intake

Question 15

What is the eating behaviour in women?

Answer 15

high cortisol reactors will eat more while low cortisol reactors will eat less

Question 16

What are the 4 unhealthy eating cues?

Answer 16

1. social cues
2. situational cues
3. negative thought
4. negative feelings

Question 17

What happens during social cues?

Answer 17

often eating is the primary activity of social settings, therefore you want to fit in, and there is peer pressure

Question 18

What happens during situational cues?

Answer 18

you seek comfort during crisis and loneliness, you want to avoid negative feelings, and reward yourelf

Question 19

What happens during negative thought and feelings

Answer 19

you go though the cycle of automatic eating:
1. unpleasant situation
2. automatic negative thought
3. negative feelings
4. eat emotions