MORE WOMEN THAN MEN TURN TO COMFORT FOOD DURING TIMES OF STRESS, BAD WEATHER AND RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS

The New KFC® Comfort Food Survey Reveals How Americans Take "Comfort" in the New Year

LOUISVILLE, KY - As creatures of comfort, Americans are continuing to take stock in the hottest trend this season - home-style food. "Whether it's fried chicken and mashed potatoes, a grilled cheese sandwich or a hot fudge sundae, Americans are enjoying comfort foods this new year," states food expert, Bonnie Tandy Leblang, RD and contributor to Parade's annual "What America Eats" issue.

Comfort Food Hits Peak Season
A new survey commissioned by KFC® finds that Americans are turning to the familiar tastes of comfort food to appease their palates during the winter months. Survey results confirm that seasonal factors and a stressful environment increase the likelihood that Americans will consume comfort food. In fact, seven out of ten people surveyed chose winter as the peak season for comfort food. Furthermore, studies suggest that comfort food satisfies certain emotional cravings and is a common way to cope with stress.

"People don't just eat when they're hungry but when they're tired, bored, stressed, anxious or lonely," explained Leblang. "Chances are, when it's Mom's meatloaf, a big bowl of mashed potatoes, a bucket of KFC fried chicken or a slice of homemade apple pie, there's a certain emotional hunger that gets satisfied, too - that's comfort food."

When asked about the emotional gratification of comfort foods, respondents ranked the following:

•	Gives me a good feeling so I can carry on	50%
•	Takes my mind off the problem	38%
•	Reminds me of good times in the past	27 %
•	Makes me feel safe	18%
•	Reminds me of Mom	9%

"People are gravitating to the foods they associate with less stressful times - like their childhood," noted Leblang. "This helps to explain why hearty, home-style foods like fried chicken, meatloaf and macaroni and cheese have become the foods du jour."

Interestingly, more women than men turn to comfort food during times of stress (81% to 64%), bad weather (39% to 27%), relationship problems (36% to 19%) and tragedy (27% to 12%). In contrast, more men than women turn to comfort food in times of celebration (45% to 31%).

As Americans retreat to their homes, they are forgoing fancy foie gras in favor of more familiar foods. Three-fourths of respondents said they are most likely to eat comfort food in front of the television and in the privacy of their home.

Bonnie Tandy Leblang is an internationally syndicated food columnist, researcher and writer for Parade magazine's annual "What America Eats" issue. She has appeared on numerous national television shows and is a popular contributor to magazines and newspapers for her insight and knowledge of food, culinary arts and nutrition. Her nationally syndicated "Supermarket Sampler" column is printed in over 100 newspapers nationwide. A former board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) and the prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards board , and a registered dietitian, Bonnie shares a passion for food, cooking and life - and occasional craving for comfort foods.

KFC Corporation, based in Louisville, Ky., is the world's most popular chicken restaurant chain specializing in Original Recipe®, Extra Crispy™ and Colonel's Crispy Strips® chicken with home-style sides and freshly made chicken sandwiches. Since its founding by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1952, KFC has been serving customers delicious, already-prepared complete family meals at affordable prices. There are over 11,000 KFC outlets in more than 80 countries and territories around the world serving some 8 million customers each day. KFC Corporation is a subsidiary of Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc., Louisville, Ky. (NYSE: YUM.)

Impulse Research conducted this national survey on the Internet among a random sampling of 1,019 American men and women aged 20 and above. The sample was drawn from the CyberPulse™ online panel with a 3 percent margin of error.