As election nears, stress eating needs a sharp eye: 'It's destructive behavior'

The impending presidential election could lead to a lot of unwanted – and sometimes unhealthy – snacking.

Emotional eating can be a byproduct of stressful periods, including political events, sports games and other happenings, according to various studies.

Recent research published in the journal Nutrients stated that emotional eating is considered a "critical risk factor for recurrent weight gain."

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The findings suggest a link between emotional eating and health factors like obesity, depression, anxiety and stress.

Identifying healthier coping mechanisms for negative emotions can help prevent dangerous outcomes, the researchers concluded.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein said she often sees an uptick in emotional eating among her clients during stressful times.

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Muhlstein, who has worked with private clients through three presidential election cycles, said there’s "always a spike in activity" before and after the election.

"People are watching the debates and watching the commentary on the couch, quickly eating their bag of chips or cookies, and it’s really destructive behavior," she said.

Even during "nail-biting sports games," people feel more inclined to mindlessly snack to "feel in control of the situation," Muhlstein said.

"When we have these periods of unrest where it’s a situation of not knowing … that sense of limbo that can feel uneasy, people tend to confuse it with hunger," she noted.

As a nutritionist, Muhlstein said emotional eating is one of the biggest barriers she’s encountered with her clients who are struggling with their weight.

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"Until we get a hold of the emotional eating, it’s really hard to lose the weight and even harder to keep it off," she said.

Emotional eating is more prevalent in American culture than it is in other countries, according to Muhlstein, as many food companies have "pushed onto us … that food is going to be the thing that makes us feel better."

Indulging in not-so-healthy treats and sweets during happy occasions, like birthdays and other celebrations, doesn't have the same negative long-term impact as eating to get through a negative situation.

"We want to have treats like cake or cookies to elevate a positive experience," she said. 

"If you have a slice [of cake] along with an overall healthy meal, you can still lose weight that week – you can still feel good in your body."

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"If you got laid off, or got divorced, or are fighting with a best friend, or are watching the news and feeling stressed out, and you're sitting there eating cake in a very rushed, unhappy way – in order to give you this short-term emotional relief and a hit of dopamine – I find that is what triggers a long-term, unhealthy relationship with food," Muhlstein added.

Emotional eaters tend to eat foods that are higher in sugar and other fattening ingredients, Muhlstein said, which can have addictive properties.

The part of the brain called the nucleus accumbens will "fire up" and release dopamine when consuming processed foods that contain a balance of sugar, salt, fat and other artificial flavorings, the expert cautioned.

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"We see in loads of research that there is a connection between eating ultra-processed foods and these feel-good chemicals in our body," she said.

"When we're eating things like cookies that have no fiber … or we're having lots of candy that's just sugar, syrups, flavorings and dyes, it never really fills us up and never satisfies us."

Guilt can worsen emotional eating, Muhlstein added, as many people "beat themselves up" after eating unhealthy foods.

Studies have shown that people who feel guilty when they overeat have higher instances of emotional eating and are more likely to continue eating poorly.

Muhlstein encouraged people to "lose the shame or guilt" and try to have a positive outlook in regard to eating habits.

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"If you're constantly telling yourself, ‘I'm a stress eater, I'm a stress eater, I'm a stress eater,’ then the next time you get stressed, you will likely go to food," she told Fox News Digital.

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"If you tell yourself, ‘I'm so stressed, I really need a walk,’ or 'When I'm stressed, I like to journal or do mindful practices like meditation or yoga,' then you will slowly start to engage in those healthier stress management techniques."

A simple way to prevent emotional eating is to keep high-sugar, high-fat, ultraprocessed foods out of the home.

"You want to set your environment up for success," Muhlstein advised. "That way, when you are stressed, you don't have those quick-fix foods that trigger you."

Muhlstein also recommended utilizing healthier coping mechanisms in high-stress situations, like exercising, deep breathing and drinking plenty of water.