COMFORT foods really do lift our mood, scientists claim. Reaching for fatty treats such as ice cream or chips has long been a way of cheering ourselves up. Now scientists have discovered that the comfort we get from eating these foods is not all in the mind. Their breakthrough findings are the first to unravel physical secrets behind emotional eating and could give doctors insight into the causes of eating disorders and obesity. Researchers at the University of Leuven in Belgium carried out brain scans on volunteers who were played sad music and shown pictures of people with downcast expressions. DM