Uncovering the link: Loneliness, unhealthy eating, and women's health

Loneliness in women often involves another quite unhealthy habit about which most people probably have no idea. The feeling of loneliness activates brain areas responsible for hunger and craving. For this reason, many bad eating habits are formed, which consequently lead to eating disorders. Scientists decided to investigate this topic more thoroughly.

There is no illusion that loneliness leads to many unpleasant mental diseases such as depression or anxiety. Women, who try to mask the symptoms with something pleasant at early stages, are at risk. In moments of loneliness, craving and hunger often come back. Instead of reaching for healthy food, fast food and sweets, which give temporary pleasure, masking the bad feelings, end up on the plate. This is exactly how eating problems are born.

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, decided to investigate the relationships between loneliness and poor diet. Right from the start, they were aware that obesity and depression are very closely related topics. Still, they lacked scientific evidence on whether the brain of a lonely person reacts to food differently than that of a healthy person.

One hundred women were invited to the study, which included various simulations to confirm whether the brain areas of lonely women react differently to food. They all shared one thing – feelings of loneliness and isolation. After analyzing the results, it was discovered that women in a worse mental state were overweight and struggled with many mental illnesses. Their way of dealing with emotions was food, which, for a moment, gave them a sense of satisfaction.

Dr. Arpana Gupta, a co-author of the publication that appeared in the journal "JAMA", clearly states that the brain of a lonely woman works completely differently. One of the stages of the study involved displaying images of food and those that instruct restraint from consuming unhealthy food. As expected, displaying appetizing bites activated areas in the brain responsible for craving and hunger.

Masquerading the feeling of loneliness through compulsive overeating is a vicious cycle. The excess calories will cause the body to change, and the additional pounds will bring tons of complexes that will further burden the psyche. Depression and anxiety are diseases that an additional portion of ice cream won't help.

If you feel lonely, and your only consolation is a bag of crisps and a bottle of cola, maybe it's worth starting to seek help. Visiting a psychologist, joining a support group, or calling a friend can really do a lot. The hardest part is making the first step and admitting to a problem that has been making daily life difficult for a long time.