Why do we eat junk food when we're anxious?

S.O.T.T: The pantheon of science includes individuals who have made enormous contributions to human health - the likes of Pasteur and Salk. A pedestal in that temple awaits the scientist who solves the following mystery: Why do we eat junk food when we feel unloved? This isn't a silly question, certainly not during September, which happens to be National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. There's an epidemic of obesity-related health problems, with adult-onset diabetes leading the way throughout the world. The fact that we eat when we're not actually hungry contributes a lot to this problem. So why do we do it? It can be because everyone around us is eating. Or because food ads can be so persuasive. Or because we want to bankrupt a hated party host by eating all his Cheetos. One of the best-understood examples of non-nutritive eating is the fact that stress tends to make us eat more. It makes sense psychologically, in that the people most prone to stress eating are those most actively restricting food intake the rest of the time: When the going gets tough and they need to be nice to themselves, this is how they ease up. They prefer to eat fats and carbs. If the boss is a creep, why not run wild..read more>>>...