Don’t have a cow
In my first crack at this topic, I wrote that Elissa Epel of the University of California at San Francisco doesn’t study obesity, because that’s what my notes said, but it’s “food addiction” that she doesn’t study, which is a substantial difference and a substantial mistake. Of course she studies obesity — that’s why she was qualified to present during a gathering of the world’s most prominent researchers on the topic. Duh.
That said, here’s what she said — at least, what my notes say she said: Her points included that stress induces eating, stress eating appears to be reward-based, and that stress eating impairs health.
She showed data, for example, that says that some people who eat junk food when stressed out end — those who react strongly to cortisol — up eating far more than if they just eat under stress, or if they just eat junk food. That’s just interesting, no?
And, she said that the excess weight that results from that combination leads especially to abdominal obesity, which she said is a more significant predictor of health than poundage landing just anywhere.
Given the central role that stress plays in her research, it’s no surprise that Epel, an associate professor psychology, is collaborating with Jean Kristeller on interventions that combine mindfulness, stress reduction, and nutrition.
Epel said she was very moved by the stories of the five compulsive eaters who shared their stories on Saturday afternoon, and that “it will change my research.” A founder of the UCSF Center for Obesity Assessment and Treatment, Epel worked with Kelly Brownell as a grad student.