2. Mood and Food A01
A great deal of research has concentrated on the relationship
between our mood and our subsequent food choices. It is generally
accepted that food can be comforting when we are down and that we
have associated certain foods with pleasurable feelings. Research has
shown repeatedly that people who are stressed or depressed
increase their carbohydrate intake, especially sugar.
A02 - Garg et al (2007) found that happy people view
products such as buttered popcorn and chocolate as
mood-threatening and so avoid them, whereas sad This shows
people view them as mood-enhancing and over that…
consume them.
This shows that food preferences are not just
determined by biological need or for evolutionary
advantage buy instead can be determined by our A02
mood
3. A01
2 biological mechanisms have been
proposed
Serotonin Hypothesis Opiate Hypothesis
Carbohydrates (e.g. chocolate) Opiate neurotransmitters (e.g.
contain Typtophan. (increases
enkephalin & beta-endorphin)
levels of serotonin).
are chemicals similar to heroin.
Low levels of serotonin are linked
with depression.
Heroin produces pleasurable
People experiencing low mood feelings and euphoria and is
take in more carbohydrate in therefore likely to be part of the
order to raise serotonin levels, brain’s reward system.
thus improving mood Gibson Eating and drinking are believed
(2006) to activate this system
4. The increase in serotonin only occurs There appears to be an
when we take in pure carbohydrate interaction between the
(which is rare). opiate reward system and
A presence of small amounts of
food and drink-
protein prevents tryptophan entering
the brain – meaning serotonin levels Gibson (2006) opiate drugs
don’t change. increase food intake and
The hypothesis appears to be invalid! increase perceived
tastiness of food, while
Explains why we feel better after blocking the endorphin
eating sweet foods as these foods
system with the drug
activate out natural reward
pathways. Naloxone reduces food
Association of certain foods and intake (specifically of sweet
mood change e.g. the sweet taste foods)
of carbohydrates have an
expectation of a positive mood
change. A02
5. A01
Health Concerns (stress)
In some cases stress can reduce food intake, some cases found
Reduction in food intake the opposite Increase in food intake
Lab studies on humans 73% of p’s stated that stress
increased their snacking and
found participants ate less reduced their ‘meal type’
when stressed consumption.
Willenbring et al (1986) Oliver & Wardle (1999)
Marines eat less during Naturalistic study concluded
periods of high workload were
combat situations. linked with greater intakes of
Students eat less during energy (sat fats & Sugar)
times of stress Wardle et al (2000)
This contradictory relationship has been called the
“Stress Eating Paradox” Stone & Brownell (1994)
6. Health Concerns (stress) A02
A01
+ Cools et al (1992) - stress only triggered an increase
in eating in people who were already dieting.
+ Wardle et al (2000) – Naturalistic study of work
place stress – stress only seemed to trigger eating in
sucesptible individuals
-Conner et al (1999) – examined the link between
daily hassles and snacking in students using food
diaries. Direct association found between increased
daily hassles and increase snacking – not due to
individual differences
Individual Differences Model Green & Wing (1994)
Stress only causes changes in eating behaviour in vulnerable groups of
individuals
7. Culture and Food A01
Rozin (1982) states that “there is no doubt that the best predictor
of the food preferences, habits and attitudes of any particular
human would be information about his ethnic group….rather
than any biological measure one might imagine”
For example – many Inuit communities live largely on seal meat
because this is what is available and in some parts of the world
food is scarce and so there are high levels of malnutrition and
starvation
Globalisation of the food market has increased food choice,
even in remote cultures, but eating preferences still exist
8. Culture and Food A02
Leshem (2009) Compared Bedouin Arab women living in the
desert with Bedouin women who had lived at least 1 generation
in an urban setting, both compared with urban living Jewish
women – Bedouin didn’t differ despite environments but had a
diet higher in carbohydrate, protein and salt than the Jewish
women
Which aspect of culture is more important?
Communities of people show differences in eating attitudes
mainly due to environmental reasons – differences between
other groups may be based on religious beliefs. E.g. Muslim and
Christians living close to each other differed hugely in their
eating behaviour
