Pizza, candy and mac & cheese top list of food triggering digestive discomfort during the holidays

‘Tis the season for overeating. Three-quarters of Americans said around the holidays, more than any other time of year, their eyes are bigger than their stomachs.

And this year that might be a bigger problem than usual, as 64% have also experienced an increase in digestive upsets since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new survey of 2,000 Americans, who experience some form of digestive discomfort, revealed the average person feels uncomfortable after eating at least three times per week.

Seventy-eight percent of respondents said they consume foods that cause them discomfort at least a few times per month, and a full 28% admit to consuming them weekly.

Moreover, 66% said the possibility of a flare-up due to food triggers makes them dread eating meals they haven’t prepared themselves.

TOP DIGESTIVE DISCOMFORT TRIGGER FOODS DURING THE HOLIDAYS:

Pizza (37%)
Candy (29%)
Mac & cheese (29%)
Creamy soups (29%)
Potatoes (28%)
Spicy foods (27%)
Beer/wine (26%)
Cookies (25%)
Cocktails (22%)
Chocolate (21%)
Carbonated drinks (17%)
Fried foods (17%)
Milk or dairy products (16%)
Coffee (14%)
Eggnog (13%)

TOP CAUSES OF INCREASED DIGESTIVE DISCOMFORT SINCE COVID-19:

Eating more in general (56%)
More frequently eating at odd times (49%)
Eating more trigger foods (49%)
Pandemic-related stress (46%)
Holiday stress (24%)

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of the heartburn medicine Acidil, the survey also dug deeper into why respondents voluntarily eat foods that irritate them.

When it came to why respondents eat foods that cause them digestive distress, about a third said it’s because their “trigger foods” are inconsistent.

Trigger foods are also some of the favorite foods of an unlucky 23% of respondents.

Sixteen percent, moreover, cite peer pressure as the reason they continue to consume things that may upset them — saying they eat trigger foods when everyone else is eating that food at a gathering of family or friends.

A vigilant 78% try their best to avoid trigger foods regularly, but admit sometimes the temptation to indulge is just too great.

While 77% of respondents said they’re “somewhat” or “very” in tune with their digestive health, seven in 10 don’t realize how full they are, causing them to overeat.

The discomfort resulting from digestive upsets can have social consequences in addition to physical ones.

Forty-five percent of respondents have missed out on a social or family function due to a desire to avoid food that could cause discomfort for them, and nearly half have even missed out on a date or other romantic opportunity due to a flare-up.

Forty-three percent said they’ve been made to feel guilty about, or ashamed of, their digestive discomfort by friends (54%) and siblings (53%).

Preparation was a key factor in respondents’ mitigating digestive discomfort.

Over-the-counter medications (47%), prescription medications (42%), exercise (37%) and homeopathic medicines (35%) were among the top ways respondents actively managed their digestive health.

Yet six in 10 said they only purchase digestive relief products when they have symptoms.