A recent study with ninety-three women found that loneliness can affect both mental and physical health.
Researchers studied how their brains reacted to different food pictures to understand why lonely people might choose certain foods. They found that lonely participants had more brain activity in areas linked to thinking deeply, while areas controlling behavior were less active. Sweet and high-calorie foods, like cakes, triggered the strongest reactions, activating the brain’s reward center. This might make lonely people feel better temporarily.
During the study, women aged 18 to 50 answered questions about their mental health before looking at pictures of different meals. Their brain activity was measured with MRI scans, and they also saw blurry pictures without food for comparison.
Overall, the study suggests that asking people why they eat unhealthy food might not be useful. A nutrition expert said that simplifying food choices doesn’t consider all the factors involved. Changing eating habits takes more than just knowing what’s healthy or having willpower.
