Adherence
State boredom increases energy intake (calories, fat, carbohydrates, and protein) in a dose-dependent manner, independent of other negative emotions.
If you find yourself reaching for food when you are bored, recognize this as a specific psychological trigger distinct from hunger or stress. The paper suggests that boredom drives you to seek stimulation or escape self-awareness. To counter this, try to engage in an activity that provides 'excitement' or meaning rather than just consuming food, or choose 'exciting' healthy foods (like cherry tomatoes) if you must snack.
state boredom was significantly positively associated with energy consumption... state boredom was significantly positively associated with the consumption of fats... state boredom was significantly, positively associated with carbohydrate intake... state boredom was significantly positively associated with the amount of protein consumed
Why this rating
Three studies with convergent evidence (diary, self-report, behavioral), though self-awareness is a moderator.
Source
Eaten up by boredom: consuming food to escape awareness of the bored self
Andrew B. Moynihan et al. · Frontiers in Psychology · 2015
DOI 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00369
More from this paper
- High objective self-awareness moderates the relationship between boredom and unhealthy snacking, making high-self-awareness individuals more susceptible to choosing less healthy, exciting foods when bored.Good
- Boredom increases the consumption of 'exciting' healthy foods (e.g., cherry tomatoes) as effectively as it increases the consumption of unhealthy foods (e.g., sweets), provided the individual is high in objective self-awareness.Good
Related findings · Adherence
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- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →