Relief In A Bite? Investigating The Real-Time Interaction Between Sweet Food And Stress Recall

Abstract Transitory relief, defined as the positive emotional experience during attenuation of aversive states, has been proposed as a driver of emotional overeating, yet its physiological signature remains unclear. This pilot study examined whether food-induced relief from stress is associated with specific heart rate (HR) patterns. Fifty healthy adults were asked to recall a mildly distressing memory, then consumed a sweet snack while holding that memory in mind. HR was recorded continuously via wearable sensors, and subjective relief was assessed retrospectively. As expected, stress recall increased both HR and self-reported stress. Consuming the snack reduced HR during and shortly after tasting, and again near the condition’s end. Interestingly, participants reporting greater relief showed a transient HR increase after tasting, followed by stronger autonomic recovery, suggesting a biphasic pattern in which food initially heightens arousal before promoting relaxation. Relief, but not reduction in memory unpleasantness, correlated with emotional eating tendencies, pointing to relief rather than affect reduction as a potential behavioural reinforcer. Given the public setting, lack of a control condition, and reliance on brief self-reports, results should be interpreted with caution. Nevertheless, this study provides preliminary support for a physiological signature of food-induced relief during stress, warranting further investigation into its potential contribution to emotional overeating.