Recent research carried out by the Oral Health Foundation discovered that since lockdown in March nearly 2 out of 3 under 35s admit to eating more often between meals³. In addition to this, a survey carried out by Alcohol Change U.K. uncovered that 8.6 million adults were drinking more frequently during lockdown⁴.

As we head into the second national lockdown, we will be finding new ways to cope with the challenges that will face us. Some of us may turn to food to deal with our emotions which is a normal response. Experiencing uncomfortable feelings such as stress, anxiety, anger, boredom and frustration and not having healthy coping strategies in place can often lead to people using food as a coping mechanism.

Heightened levels of stress and in turn emotional eating is an understandable response during a global pandemic everyone at some stage can relate to emotional eating. We shouldn’t try and put any additional pressure on ourselves. However, we have got some advice to help support you during these difficult times.

Author: Lucy McLean

References

1. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Enjoy-food/Eating-with-diabetes/food-psychology/Emotional-eating-and-feasting 

2. https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/blog/use-of-food-as-coping-mechanism-for-anxiety-and-stress 

3. https://www.dentalhealth.org/News/lockdown-leading-to-increased-snacking-culture-claims-charity 

4. https://alcoholchange.org.uk/blog/2020/covid19-drinking-during-lockdown-headline-findings

5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666307003236 

6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4150387/pdf/fpsyg-05-00925.pdf 

7. https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/coronavirus 

8. Image: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk