Stress, depression or boredom often alter your eating habits. You might not want to eat and lose weight or conversely you might find that you turn to high calorie snacks to provide comfort. For most people it is not too serious if you change your diet for a few weeks. When you are feeling better you will be able to regain or lose a few pounds quite easily. However if you are diabetic, emotional eating brings serious health risks.

I  mentioned before that I sometimes earn some pocket money by helping with academic research. through sites like prolific.co and studies run by our local universities.

Emotional eating focus group

Earlier this year I took part in an online focus group to discuss how to develop a strategy to help diabetics  tackle some of the issues around emotional eating.   Although the research was based on diabetic patients. Some of the strategies that were proposed would apply equally to non diabetic patients so I thought I would share some of the things I learnt.  I am not diabetic but I am guilty of raiding the larder or fridge when I am bored or upset.

There was a mixture of diabetic and non diabetic participants from a range of backgrounds. I used to work as a nurse and have a certificate in health promotion.

I found that some of the ideas we discussed were very interesting and thought provoking.  Participants mentioned how in some cultures it is very difficult to refuse food in social settings without causing offence. Now as lockdown ends it can be seen as rude to invite visitors to your home without offering them food. They also mentioned how advice on diet is often difficult to follow and sometimes contradictory. It is also usually based on a western type diet. Some of the older participants were not even aware of the latest guidelines or how to make use of them.

 Most people develop type 2 diabetes in middle age and it is more common in the Asian community. Clearly  this needs to be reflected in health promotion materials.  Diabetes can also cause problems with eyesight so text needs to be large and dark.

Emotional eating versus eating for hunger

We discussed  how to tell the difference between emotional eating and eating because you are hungry and how different emotions can trigger different eating patterns. For example the release of the stress hormone cortisol, means you might reach for salty or fried food. If you are bored you might reach for crisps or biscuits.  A key difference is that physical hunger comes on slowly and after you have eaten you feel satisfied.  Emotional eating can occur in both sexes but is more common in women than men.

 Klinio have produced a useful infographic to help you tackle emotional eating.

Are you a stress eater? Do you find yourself in the emotional eating cycle? You’re not the only one here. You might be waiting for an exam, interview for a new job, or meeting new people – all of these unique and unexpected things might trigger and stress you out. Then, you’ll experience an urgency to satisfy yourself with food, and you’ll look for some specific foods to achieve that satisfaction. But what waits for you next? Usually, after the emotional eating, you’ll feel guilt and shame. Unfortunately, that won’t stop you from eating next time when you’re stressed and sensitive.     Now when you have diabetes, mindless eating habits can create an even more significant impact and influence your blood glucose levels leading to severe physical and psychological consequences. So, if you have diabetes and you’re keen to eat when feeling emotional, you should consider some changes in your eating habits. Where should you start then?  Well, firstly, identify what triggers you the most. That can be stress, any sort of negative emotion like anger, anxiety, or sadness.  Also, it could be a social influence. During social gatherings, tables tend to be full of delicious snacks and foods, and, of course, there will be the temptation to try all of them. So, when you identify all these potential triggers, start making changes.  For instance, if you feel lonely or sad, instead of choosing mindless eating, turn to your close ones – family and friends and vocalize how you feel.  If you experience anxiety, get yourself moving. Go to the gym, do a quick home workout, or play your favourite music and dance to it. You’ll see how these food alternatives will change your mood and make you feel better.     If you want to learn more about emotional eating and how to manage it – watch this YouTube video:

Diabetes U.K. suggests keeping a food and mood diary to help identify any triggers which might lead to emotional eating and have a free one to download here.