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In their article, “Restricted Pleasure For Healthy Eating And Food Well-Being,” forthcoming from Qualitative Market Research, Tonya Williams Bradford of UCI’s Paul Merage School of Business, and Sonya Grier of the American University, Washington, D.C., examine the relationship of dietary restriction and food well-being (FWB) in the African American community to determine how food socialization and food literacy can transform an individual’s relationship with food. 

By conducting a series of individual interviews of African American women participating in a food detoxification program, Bradford and Grier looked at the effects of reorienting food as fuel rather than approaching food as a response to cravings.  

“For those who participate in a food detox program like the one we studied it’s not just about losing weight or trying to avoid that second piece of chocolate cake,” says Bradford.  

Redefining the connection between food and pleasure   

Their study, which began in 2008, involved a long season of data collection and analysis. “At the time we began our research the notion of food restriction was fairly new,” she says. “Today the idea has gained a lot of traction among those who are more health conscious.” 

One of the details revealed by their research was how participants began to redefine pleasure in relation to food consumption. Prior to the detox, most would say they were driven to eat decadent foods—like donuts or pizza—because of the pleasure they received from eating them. 

“One of our study participants described using food as a means of comfort, and that they recognize food as comfort in the behaviors of others. They drew a connection to the practice of putting something in a crying baby’s mouth. From there, food becomes a security blanket, but we can’t eat just anything and expect to be healthy.” After going through the detox, participants began to associate healthier foods with even greater pleasure, both physically and emotionally.  

Evolving relationships with food  

The study also revealed how African American women were swayed by food marketing. “Commercials send the message that eating a hamburger is going to improve your relationship with your mom or dad, or that eating ice cream is going to make us feel better after a hard day at work,” she says. “The notion of food as a soother is not unusual, but many African American women are being diagnosed with high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. Many of these diseases are associated with food intake commonly employed with self-soothing, and that often gets reinforced by marketing.”  

This realization has helped many to break the hold that certain foods have over them. “We need to rewire our brains and see food as energy rather than as filling an emotional gap, or fulfilling a desire to eat for pleasure,” says Bradford. “Once we do that, we can break some of those emotional and psychological associations we’ve all learned related to food.” 

More people are embracing healthy eating  

Once people make the break from food-as-pleasure and transition to food-as-fuel, they finally discover the pleasurable aspect of healthy eating. “The detox process is similar to a 12-step program. You start by admitting you don’t really need those foods you once craved. Next you are taught to see food as medicine for your body. With that new perspective, you recognize cravings for certain foods, and portion sizes at intervals throughout the day. You begin to eat only when you’re hungry. By the fifth week when you’re consuming clear broth and green juice you realize that you’re so full you can barely finish it,” says Bradford.  

As more people begin to rethink their approach to food, the marketplace has started to accommodate those preferences for healthier options. Many quick service restaurants now offer plant-based proteins for burgers and tacos and grocery stores now have entire sections devoted to organic food shoppers. The future looks brighter in terms of breaking our emotional connections with food which can lead to more energetic lifestyles. 

Tonya Williams Bradford is an assistant professor of marketing at The Paul Merage School of Business. She studies consumer rituals and shares vital knowledge to advance the theory and practice of marketing with students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She obtained degrees from Northwestern University including a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, and an MBA and PhD in Marketing from the Kellogg School of Management. Prior to coming to the Merage School, Bradford worked in industry for seventeen years across domestic and international markets. 

Sonya Grier is a professor in the department of marketing at the American University, Washington, D.C. She is currently the director of food marketing research for the African American Obesity Research Collaborative Network (AACORN). She also serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing and is a member of the Institute of Medicine Food forum. Dr. Grier holds a PhD in Marketing, with a minor in Social Psychology, from Northwestern University, as well as an MBA from Northwestern University.