Researchers wanted to understand if stress makes people eat more food, especially in women. They created a stressful situation in a lab and measured how stressed the women became and what they ate. They found that a new version of the stress test made people’s stress hormone (cortisol) go up more than the original test did. However, surprisingly, higher stress didn’t actually make people eat more snacks during the lab visit. Interestingly, women who did the original stress test ate more food later that evening at home. This suggests that stress-related eating might happen later, not right away.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether a more realistic stress test would increase stress hormones and cause people to eat more food
  • Who participated: 87 female participants who were randomly split into three groups: one doing a new stress test, one doing the original stress test, and one with no stress
  • Key finding: The new stress test successfully increased stress hormones (cortisol) more than the original test, but this didn’t make people eat more snacks right away. However, women who did the original stress test ate more food that evening at home
  • What it means for you: Stress may not immediately trigger eating, but it might affect eating habits hours later. If you’re trying to manage stress eating, paying attention to what you eat in the evening after stressful days might be more important than what you eat right after stress occurs

The Research Details

This was a randomized controlled trial, which is one of the strongest types of research studies. Eighty-seven women were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Two groups experienced a stressful situation called the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), which involves giving a speech and doing math problems in front of judges. One group did the original version, while another group did a modified version designed to feel more realistic and stressful. The third group did not experience any stress and served as a comparison. Throughout the study, researchers measured stress using several methods: they collected saliva samples to measure cortisol (the stress hormone), checked heart rate, measured blood pressure, and asked participants about their anxiety levels. Participants were offered snacks at different times, and researchers carefully measured how much they ate. They also asked participants to report what they ate that evening at home.

Previous stress studies in labs have given mixed results about whether stress actually increases eating. By making the stress test feel more realistic and measuring eating over a longer time period (including evening meals), researchers hoped to get clearer answers. This approach helps scientists understand if stress really causes overeating or if the effect is more complicated than we thought.

This study was well-designed with random assignment to groups, which helps ensure fair comparisons. The researchers measured stress in multiple ways (hormones, heart rate, blood pressure, and anxiety) rather than relying on just one measure. They also measured eating at different times, which is more thorough than many previous studies. However, the study only included women, so results may not apply equally to men. The study was conducted in a lab setting, which is more controlled but less like real life.

What the Results Show

The modified stress test successfully increased cortisol levels above baseline, while the original stress test did not. This means the new version was better at triggering the body’s stress response. Women in the modified stress test also showed higher blood pressure and anxiety at the beginning, suggesting they were more worried about what would happen. However, when researchers looked at how much food people ate during the lab visit, there was no significant difference between the groups. The stress hormone levels did not predict how much people ate, which was surprising to the researchers.

An interesting pattern emerged when researchers looked at evening eating. Women who did the original stress test ate more food that evening at home compared to the other groups. This suggests that stress-related eating might not happen immediately but could occur hours later. The timing of when snacks were offered (before or after the stress test) did not significantly change the results.

Previous research has suggested a link between stress and increased eating, but studies have shown mixed results. This research helps explain why: the effect of stress on eating may not happen right away in the lab but could show up later at home. The finding that a better stress test doesn’t automatically lead to more immediate eating challenges the simple idea that higher stress always means more eating.

This study only included women, so we don’t know if the same patterns would occur in men. The study took place in a lab, which is artificial and may not reflect how people eat during real stress in their daily lives. The sample size of 87 is moderate, so larger studies might reveal different patterns. Additionally, the study didn’t measure individual differences like whether people normally stress-eat or have different eating habits.

The Bottom Line

If you’re concerned about stress eating, focus on monitoring your eating habits in the hours and evening after stressful events, not just immediately during stress. Being aware of what you eat later in the day after stress may be more helpful than trying to control eating right when stress happens. This is a moderate-confidence recommendation based on one study with women only.

Women who notice they eat more on stressful days should pay special attention to evening eating patterns. People interested in understanding the stress-eating connection will find this research valuable. Men should note that this study was only done with women, so the findings may not apply equally to them.

Changes in eating patterns typically take weeks to notice. If you start tracking evening eating after stressful days, you might see patterns within 2-4 weeks of consistent monitoring.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Log your stress level (1-10 scale) and all food eaten in the evening (after 5 PM) on days you experience stress. Compare this to your eating on calm days to identify patterns.
  • Set a reminder for 3-4 hours after stressful events to check in on your hunger and eating. Plan a healthy snack or meal for the evening on days you know will be stressful.
  • Track stress levels and evening food intake for at least 4 weeks. Look for patterns: Do you eat more on high-stress days? Does the eating happen immediately or hours later? Use this data to plan better coping strategies.

This research is from a single study with women only and may not apply to everyone. The findings suggest stress may affect eating patterns, but this is not medical advice. If you have concerns about stress-related eating, emotional eating, or eating disorders, please consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian. This study does not diagnose or treat any medical condition.