Feeling stressed not linked to comfort eating

COMFORT eating could be a myth as feeling stressed is not what pushes people to bingeeat, according to new research.

Stress affects activity in the brain – but it isn’t responsible for the urge to pig out, suggests the study.

Binge-eating is a hallmark symptom of several eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia.

People who binge-eat can feel out of control and unable to stop, and often binge after stressful events.

This led scientists to wonder whether stress damages parts of the brain which are responsible for inhibitory control.

This refers to people’s ability to stop what you are about to do or currently doing – and can trigger eating.

Study author Dr Margaret Westwater, of the University of Cambridge, said: “Binge-eating is not caused by stress-induced impulsivity.

“Stress alters brain activity in inhibition network but doesn’t prompt binge-eating, contrary to theory.”

The team tested this theory by using FMRI to measure the brain activity of women with anorexia, bulimia, or without an eating disorder as they completed tasks either while stressed or relaxed.

Dr Westwater said: “Stress altered the brain activity associated with inhibitory control in both groups of women with eating disorders but had no effect on task performance, meaning they still had the ability to stop their actions.”