Park, Y., Don, B. P., Mason, A. E., Prather, A. A., & Epel, E. S. (2025). Daily social resources as a buffer against stress eating and its consequences. Health Psychology, 44(2), 108–118. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001389
Key Takeaways
- Focus: This study investigates the role of social resources in mitigating stress eating and its impact on weight gain.
- Aims: To examine whether daily emotional support moderates the association between stress eating and long-term weight gain.
- Key Findings: Individuals who reported higher levels of emotional support and social responsiveness were less likely to engage in stress eating and experience weight gain, suggesting that social resources play a crucial role in mitigating the negative health consequences of stress eating.
- Implications: These findings highlight the importance of social support and responsiveness in developing interventions to reduce stress eating and promote healthy eating habits.
Rationale
Stress eating is a common behavior with negative health consequences, including weight gain and obesity.
Research has shown that stress eating is associated with increased food intake, particularly unhealthy foods high in fat and sugar (Michels et al., 2016).
This can lead to a cycle of stress eating and weight gain, contributing to long-term health problems.
However, there is limited research on the factors that may protect against stress eating and its negative effects. Social support has been shown to buffer the impact of stress on mental and physical health (Ozbay et al., 2007).
This study aims to investigate the role of social resources, specifically emotional support and social responsiveness, in mitigating stress eating and its impact on weight gain.
Understanding the factors that protect against stress eating can inform interventions to promote healthy eating habits and reduce the negative health consequences of stress.
Method:
This study employed a longitudinal design with two separate studies.
Study 1:
- Participants completed baseline questionnaires assessing stress-eating tendencies, body mass index (BMI), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR).
- Daily reports of emotional support were collected over eight days.
- BMI and WHR were tracked after approximately 10 years.
Study 2:
- Participants completed baseline questionnaires assessing stress-eating status, BMI, and social responsiveness.
- Daily reports of stress-eating behavior were collected over 24 days.
- BMI was tracked one year later.
Sample:
Study 1:
- N = 1,264
- Demographic characteristics were not provided in the summary.
Study 2:
- N = 536
- Demographic characteristics were not provided in the summary.
Measures:
- Stress Eating: Assessed using questionnaires measuring the tendency to eat in response to stress.
- Emotional Support: Daily reports of received emotional support.
- Social Responsiveness: Questionnaire assessing the perception of others as caring and responsive.
- BMI and WHR: Objective measures of body weight and fat distribution.
Statistical Measures:
Moderation analyses were conducted to examine the role of emotional support and social responsiveness in the relationship between stress eating and weight gain.
Results
- In Study 1, stress eating predicted increases in BMI and WHR at the 10-year follow-up, but this association was weaker among individuals with higher levels of emotional support.
- In Study 2, stress eating was associated with increased BMI one year later, but this association was weaker among individuals with higher levels of social responsiveness.
- Social responsiveness also moderated the relationship between daily stress and eating behavior, such that individuals with higher social responsiveness were less likely to engage in stress eating in response to daily stressors.
Insight
This study provides valuable insights into the protective role of social resources in mitigating stress eating and its negative health consequences.
The findings suggest that emotional support and social responsiveness can buffer the impact of stress on eating behavior and weight gain.
This is particularly informative because it highlights the importance of social factors in promoting healthy eating habits.
The study extends previous research by demonstrating the longitudinal effects of social resources on stress eating and weight gain.
It also provides evidence for the daily dynamics of stress eating and the moderating role of social responsiveness.
These findings have implications for interventions aimed at reducing stress eating and promoting healthy eating habits.
Future research could explore the mechanisms through which social resources influence stress eating, as well as the types of social support that are most effective in mitigating stress eating.
Implications for Practitioners and Policymakers:
Practitioners:
- Incorporate strategies to enhance social support and responsiveness in interventions for stress eating and weight management.
- Encourage individuals to seek emotional support from friends, family, or professionals during times of stress.
- Develop programs that promote social responsiveness and healthy coping mechanisms for stress.
Policymakers:
- Implement policies that support social connections and community building.
- Promote access to mental health services that address stress and emotional well-being.
- Create public health campaigns that emphasize the importance of social resources for healthy eating habits.
Strengths:
- Longitudinal design allows for the examination of long-term effects.
- Daily diary methods provide insights into daily stress-eating behaviors.
- Objective measures of BMI and WHR were used.
Limitations:
- Self-reported measures of stress eating and social resources may be subject to bias.
- The sample may not be representative of the general population.
- The study did not explore the specific mechanisms through which social resources influence stress eating.
References
Park, Y., Don, B. P., Mason, A. E., Prather, A. A., & Epel, E. S. (2025). Daily social resources as a buffer against stress eating and its consequences. Health Psychology, 44(2), 108–118. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001389
- Michels, N., Moffitt, T. E., Belsky, D. W., Caspi, A., Harrington, H., Meier, M. H.,… & Poulton, R. (2016). Childhood stress eating and adult obesity: A prospective birth cohort study. Psychological Science, 27(12), 1547-1556.*
- Ozbay, F., Johnson, D. C., Dimoulas, E., Morgan, C. A., Charney, D., & Southwick, S. (2007). Social support and resilience to stress: From neurobiology to clinical practice. Psychiatry 1 (Edgmont), 4(5), 35.* 1. jameshaggertyrecovery.com jameshaggertyrecovery.com
Socratic Questions:
- How might the findings of this study differ if the sample included a more diverse range of participants?
- What are some potential alternative explanations for the observed relationships between social resources, stress eating, and weight gain?
- How can the findings of this study be applied to develop effective interventions for stress eating and weight management in different populations?
- What are the ethical considerations in using social support interventions for stress eating?
- How might the increasing prevalence of social media and online interactions affect the role of social resources in stress eating?
