Study on Comfort Consumption During COVID-19 Attracts Significant Media Attention

06.03.2025

The findings of our study contradict the common belief that stress and negative emotions lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Our study led by Giorgia Silani and Ana Stijovic has garnered significant media attention for its surprising insights into consumption behavior during stressful times, such as the COVID-19 lockdowns. Covered by major outlets(*), the study challenges the common belief that people turn to unhealthy food, alcohol, or excessive screen time primarily to cope with stress or negative emotions. 

This study was part of a larger collaborative project between Prof. Claus Lamm, Prof. Giorgia Silani, and Prof. Urs Nater & their teams. During the first COVID-19 lockdown, we examined the relationship between psychological well-being, social interactions, and the consumption of unhealthy food in Austria, Italy, and Germany. The results showed that stress increased the desire for sugary, fatty, or salty foods but did not necessarily lead to their consumption. In contrast, positive mood and energy levels were linked to higher food intake and enjoyment, especially when social interactions were present. Eating also helped reduce stress and promote calmness. Our study suggests that during the lockdown, food was used more to maintain positive emotions rather than to counteract negative ones, with social needs playing a significant role.

If you're interested, you can explore other findings from this project, where we investigated stress and mood during the challenging period of the COVID-19 lockdown.

  1. Pronizius*, E., Forbes*, P.A.G., Feneberg, A.C., Miculescu, B., Nater, U.M., Piperno, G., Silani, G., Stijovic, A., & Lamm, C. (2024). Everyday Helping is Associated with Enhanced Mood but Greater Stress When it is More Effortful. Scientific Reports, 14, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-75261-z
  2. Forbes, P.A.G., Pronizius, E., Feneberg, A.C., Nater, U.M., Piperno, G., Silani, G., Stijovic, A., & Lamm, C. (2023). The Effects of Social Interactions on Momentary Stress and Mood During COVID-19 Lockdowns. British Journal of Health Psychology, 28, 306–319. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12626
  3. Stijovic*, A., Forbes*, P.A.G., Tomova, L., Skoluda, N., Feneberg, A.C., Piperno, G., Pronizius, E., Nater, U.M., Lamm, C., & Silani, G. (2023). Homeostatic Regulation of Energetic Arousal During Acute Social Isolation: Evidence from the Lab and the Field. Psychological Science, 34(5), 537–551. https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976231156413
  4. Feneberg, A. C., Stijovic, A., Forbes, P.A.G., Lamm, C., Piperno, G., Pronizius E., Silani, G., & Nater, U.M. (2023). Perceptions of Stress and Mood Associated with Listening to Music in Daily Life During the COVID-19 Lockdown. JAMA Network Open, 6(1), e2250382. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.50382
  5. Feneberg*, A.C., Forbes*, P.A.G., Piperno*, G., Pronizius*, E., Skoluda, N., Stijovic*, A., Lamm#, C., Nater#, U.M., & Silani#, G. (2022). Diurnal Dynamics of Stress and Mood during Covid-19 Lockdown - A Large Multinational Ecological Momentary Assessment Study. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 289(1975), 20212480. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.2480

Media response (selection):

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