Weight, that is. Researchers studying US football fans (and French soccer fanatics) found that many sports addicts turn to junk food to help take the sting out of a loss. Fans of a losing team seem to consume extra fat and sugar, using comfort food as a way to deal with their emotions.
Emotional eating isn’t a new tactic even for those who swear off sports mania. Studies continue to report that your mood is almost inextricably connected to what foods you choose. If you are feeling down, comfort foods, sugary or salty snacks may turn into the diet prescription instead of what you know to be more nutritional choices.
The food and mood connection turns the football defeat into a personal one, threatening your self esteem; the fans of the winning team experience the joy of a morale boost-making nutritional food choices more appealing.
Hey! There is even a body of knowledge that aligns junk food to a drug like addiction, when used to regulate emotions, which, in time can create the need for more and more to be satisfied.
What to do? Scientists believe an easy exercise of creating self affirming statements about things important in your life and identifying what you are grateful for, other than football. Self affirming your personal values helps to prevent the deflated feeling when your team loses and might make the season a leaner, healthier one.