Stress mindset moderates the association between threat stress appraisals and stress-eating in women

Stressors induce preferences for comfort foods vs. healthier foods and contribute to high rates of obesity. However, the stress-eating relationship is highly variable due to individual differences in stress-related factors. Stress mindset (general perceptions about the nature of stress) and stress appraisals (perception of demands vs. resources during stress) impact the stress response, but no study has investigated if these factors have downstream effects on stress-eating. The present study examined how stress mindset moderates the effect of threat stress appraisals on snack intake. Participants were 86 women (34% non-White) between 18 and 22 years old, with a mean body mass index of 24 kg/m², who completed two visits: a screening visit assessing pre-existing stress mindset and a laboratory visit during which participants completed a stress mindset intervention (stress-is-debilitating (SIE) vs. stress-is-enhancing (SIE)) followed by an acute social stress task and a snack food taste test. The moderation (PROCESS model 1) was significant: greater pre-existing SID mindsets, but not SIE mindsets, enhanced the association between threat stress appraisals and greater ratios of high to low calorie snack intake. Thus, SIE mindsets may protect against preferential intake of comfort foods when stressors are perceived as a threat. Alterations in brain reward processing may explain this effect, as SID (but not SIE) mindset intervention increased stress-induced 'wanting' of M&Ms®. Thus, SIE mindsets may prevent the heightened reward sensitization that accompanies the stress response. Replications in larger, more diverse samples may cause the advancement of current treatments for eating- and stress-related conditions by incorporating SIE mindset interventions.