14 DAY TRIAL // Sports enthusiasts are well known for their tendency to act out whenever they are displeased about the outcome of a game. Reckless driving, domestic violence and alcohol abuse are all part of the package.
According to a new paper in the journal Psychological Science, feasting on high fat and high sugar foods should also be added to the list.
Researchers say that, in the aftermath of a big football game, fans of the losing team tend to gulp down impressive amounts of foods whose saturated fat and sugar content is worrying, to say the least.
On the other hand, fans of the winning team show a clear preference for healthier dishes.
“People eat better when their football team wins and worse when it loses, especially if they lost unexpectedly, by a narrow margin, or against a team of equal strength,” researchers Yann Cornil and Pierre Chandon argue, as cited by EurekAlert.
The specialists suspect that, more often than not, eating high fat and high sugar foods is a coping mechanism.
“Even if you are rooting for a perennial loser, there is a solution if you are concerned about healthy eating: After a defeat, write down what is really important to you in life.”
“In our studies, this simple technique, called ‘self affirmation,’ completely eliminated the effects of defeats,” the researchers recommend.