• Question: in tv programmes and films when people are upset why do they always eat ice cream?

    Asked by abbieclark to Alexandra, Dean, Jess, Luisa, Sian on 22 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Sian Foch-Gatrell

      Sian Foch-Gatrell answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      I think there are two answers to this, firstly I think I read once that ice cream stimulates a part of the brain that makes you feel good. But it also is associated with times from your childhood when the weather was good and you felt happy and carefree.

    • Photo: Dean Whittaker

      Dean Whittaker answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      When I get upset, I sometimes comfort eat. It’s something psycological but I don’t know exactly what!

    • Photo: Alexandra Kamins

      Alexandra Kamins answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      haha, love it! I’m more of a chocolate girl myself… Kidding aside, oftentimes people find comfort in food when things go wrong. Not everyone (as may be on TV!) but some people eat out of stress. It’s something called a “coping mechanism”–just a way to feel like they have some power in their lives. You can CHOOSE what to eat, and to eat something that maybe in your mind connects to happier moments.

    • Photo: Luisa Ostertag

      Luisa Ostertag answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      Because they find it comforting. Maybe they have good memories about eating icecream in their childhood (got it from their parents when they were sad or as a treat).
      Ice cream is one of the foods most people like and I think the film producers think that eating ice cream would ‘help’ most people if they are unhappy …

    • Photo: Jessica Housden

      Jessica Housden answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      well, one of two things; either it is believed that that is what people do (and basically eating fatty food can sometimes be comforting), or the ice cream companies have paid the film people to include their product in the film. this does happen – it’s called product placement

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