8 ways to control stress eating: these common-sense tips can help you resist the urge to eat when you're feeling anxious, and learn to substitute healthier behaviors to calm your nerves.(psychological research)

If mental and emotional stress sends you straight into snack mode, you may be heading for weight problems. But here's the good news: By learning healthier ways to respond when you're upset, you can avoid weight gain associated with "emotional eating."

People who turn to food when they're stressed are at increased risk for obesity because they tend to choose food high in fat and sugar, and to eat when they're not hungry, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Leeds in England observed the eating habits of 422 people after they had experienced one or more minor stressful events, such as losing their keys, or having an argument with a colleague at work. They found that stressed subjects not only ate many more unhealthy between-meal…