FACS faculty member quoted about comfort food cravings

Emma Laing, director of dietetics and clinical associate professor in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences’ foods and nutrition department, was recently quoted in a WXIA-TV story about why people crave comfort food in cooler weather.

“Colder weather can create biological changes that make us want to eat more,” Laing said.

According to the 11Alive story, cooler temperatures can affect hunger in more ways than one.

“Our cues for staying hydrated are also altered in colder temperatures, and being dehydrated can also lead to hunger,” she said.

“In the winter months, we have an abundance of holidays, celebrations and sporting events that are centered on food,” Laing added. “And these alone can impact our eating habits. The cravings are guided by our physiology and psychology and our environment around us.”