Do people reach for sweets to soothe feelings?

Scientists asked 116 college students to take a “personality test,” then randomly assigned them to get either a fake “negative” result (that they’d end up alone without any relationships later in life) or a fake “neutral” result (that they’d be accident-prone later in life).

The students were then asked to sample three unlabeled beverages—one was low in sugar, one had medium levels, and one was high—and to drink as much as they wanted of each.

Students who got the negative result on the personality test drank more of the high-sugar beverage than those who got the neutral result. (They were then told about the fake results.)

What to do

Be aware of what makes you reach for sweets.