Emotional Eating: Fact Or Fiction?

is emotional eating real

Emotional eating is a recognised phenomenon where people eat in response to emotions, both positive and negative. Emotional eating is not the same as physical hunger, which comes on gradually and can be satisfied with any type of food. Emotional hunger, on the other hand, is often sudden and urgent, and may cause specific cravings for energy-dense foods. Emotional eating can be a way to cope with difficult feelings, but it can also lead to feelings of guilt and shame, creating a vicious cycle. While emotional eating is not an eating disorder in itself, it can be a precursor to disordered eating behaviours and, in some cases, the development of eating disorders.

Characteristics Values
Definition The propensity to eat in response to positive and negative emotions
Synonyms Stress eating, emotional overeating
Typical Reference Eating to cope with negative emotions
Type of Eating Disordered eating, emotion-focused coping
Eating Behaviour Eating to satisfy hedonic drive, eating as a reward, eating for social reasons, eating to conform, eating to regulate inner emotional states
Food Choice Energy-dense foods
Eating Pattern Mindless eating
Hunger Type Emotional hunger
Contributing Factors Inadequate affect regulation theory, escape theory, restraint theory, biological stress response
Risk Binge-eating disorder
Assessment Tools Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, Palatable Eating Motives Scale

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Emotional eating as a coping mechanism

Emotional eating is a very real phenomenon, defined as the "propensity to eat in response to positive and negative emotions". Emotional eating is a coping mechanism, a way to deal with feelings instead of satisfying hunger. Emotional eating is a form of disordered eating, which is an increase in food intake in response to negative emotions. Emotional eating can be a way to minimise, regulate, and prevent emotional distress.

Emotional eating is often a learned behaviour, with roots in childhood. For example, a child who is given treats to help them deal with a tough day may grow up to be an adult who eats a box of cookies after a rough day at work. Emotional eating can also be a response to external factors, such as social situations or conformity.

Emotional eating is usually driven by a desire to satisfy a hedonic drive, or the drive to eat palatable food to obtain pleasure. Emotional eaters tend to seek out energy-dense foods, which can result in weight gain. Emotional hunger is often urgent and tied to your feelings, whereas physical hunger can come on more gradually and be tied to the last time you ate.

Emotional eating can be a maladaptive coping strategy and may lead to feelings of guilt and shame. It is important to find other ways to cope with difficult emotions, such as exercise, mindfulness practices, or social support.

There are several theories that explain why people use emotional eating as a coping mechanism. The inadequate affect regulation theory suggests that individuals believe overeating alleviates negative feelings. The escape theory builds on this by suggesting that overeating diverts attention from a stimulus that threatens self-esteem. The restraint theory posits that people who typically restrict their eating may cope with negative emotions by engaging in emotional eating. Biological factors, such as cortisol levels and the stress response, can also contribute to emotional eating tendencies.

Emotional eating can be challenging to unlearn, but it is possible. It starts with awareness and understanding what drives emotional eating. Individuals can keep an emotion diary, practice mindfulness techniques, and find alternative coping strategies to manage their emotions without relying on food.

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Emotional hunger vs physical hunger

Emotional eating is a real phenomenon, and it is important to distinguish between emotional and physical hunger to develop a healthier relationship with food. Emotional hunger is the desire to eat that arises from emotions, whether negative or positive. Physical hunger, on the other hand, is a biological need for food to fuel the body and is accompanied by physical sensations.

Emotional Hunger:

Emotional hunger is when you eat to satisfy emotional needs rather than physical hunger. It is often associated with specific emotions, such as stress, sadness, anger, boredom, or even happiness and excitement. Emotional eating can be impulsive and is not necessarily related to physical hunger cues. It is commonly tied to specific activities, feelings, or times of day and can lead to a dangerous cycle of using food as a coping mechanism. Emotional hunger can result in overeating and weight gain and may cause feelings of guilt and shame.

Physical Hunger:

Physical hunger, also known as biological hunger, occurs when the body needs food for energy. It is a motivational state that manifests through physical and emotional responses, such as stomach growling, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, or mood changes. Physical hunger typically develops gradually over time, a few hours after a meal, and can be satisfied with any food. People often stop eating when they are full and do not experience feelings of guilt with physical hunger.

How to Distinguish Emotional vs. Physical Hunger:

  • Emotional hunger often comes on rapidly and is tied to intense emotions, while physical hunger develops more slowly and gradually intensifies.
  • Emotional hunger may cause specific food cravings, whereas physical hunger may be less specific.
  • Physical hunger is usually accompanied by physical sensations in the stomach, such as emptiness, growling, or gnawing.
  • Emotional hunger is often associated with a desire for soothing, comfort, or numbing through food.
  • Physical hunger can be satisfied with any food, while emotional hunger may lead to overeating.
  • Physical hunger typically occurs a few hours after a meal, while emotional hunger can be independent of the last time you ate.

Other Types of Hunger:

It is also worth noting that, in addition to emotional and physical hunger, there are two other types of hunger: taste hunger and practical hunger. Taste hunger is when you want to eat something because it sounds or looks appealing, even if you are not physically hungry. Practical hunger, on the other hand, is when you eat in anticipation of future physical hunger, such as eating before a meeting that overlaps with your lunch break.

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The biological stress response

Emotional eating is a response to stress, and it can be a risk factor for weight gain and obesity. Stress is a challenge to the natural homeostasis of an organism, and the body reacts to it by producing a physiological response to regain equilibrium. This response includes the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is a neuroendocrine system that regulates the body's stress response.

The HPA axis plays a crucial role in the stress-eating paradox, where stress can lead to both hyperphagia (increased food intake) and hypophagia (decreased food intake). During acute stress, the body suppresses appetite and food intake as part of the stereotypical acute stress response. However, repeated and uncontrollable stress can dysregulate the HPA axis, leading to changes in energy homeostasis and eating behavior.

Chronic activation of the HPA axis can alter glucose metabolism, promote insulin resistance, and influence multiple appetite-related hormones and hypothalamic neuropeptides. Prolonged stress-induced secretion of glucocorticoids (GCs) can promote abdominal fat deposition and influence food preferences. GCs act directly to promote food-associated drives and increase the consumption of hyperpalatable foods, which are typically high in fat and sugar.

The interaction between stress and emotional eating has been observed in various populations, including adults and children. For example, a study on Ecuadorian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic found a significant association between perceived stress and emotional eating. Additionally, a study on 4- to 6-year-old children explored the relationship between the serotonin transporter gene, reactive temperament, and stress-induced emotional eating. The results suggested that children with specific genotypes and higher levels of negative affectivity or impulsivity were more susceptible to stress-induced emotional eating.

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Contributing factors

Childhood Development

For some people, emotional eating is a learned behaviour. During childhood, their parents give them treats to help them deal with a tough day or situation, or as a reward for something good. Over time, the child who reaches for a cookie after getting a bad grade on a test may become an adult who grabs a box of cookies after a rough day at work. In some cases, individuals may eat to conform; for example, individuals may be told "you have to finish your plate" and the individual may eat past the point at which they feel satisfied.

Biological and Environmental Factors

Stress affects food preferences. Numerous studies have shown that physical or emotional distress increases the intake of food high in fat, sugar, or both, even in the absence of caloric deficits. Once ingested, fat- and sugar-filled foods seem to have a feedback effect that dampens stress-related responses and emotions, as these foods trigger dopamine and opioid releases, which protect against the negative consequences of stress. These foods are, therefore, "comfort" foods that seem to counteract stress, but rat studies demonstrate that intermittent access to and consumption of these highly palatable foods creates symptoms that resemble opioid withdrawal, suggesting that high-fat and high-sugar foods can become neurologically addictive.

The stress response is a highly individualised reaction, and personal differences in physiological reactivity may also contribute to the development of emotional eating habits. Women are more likely than men to resort to eating as a coping mechanism for stress, as are obese individuals and those with histories of dietary restraint.

Social Determinants of Health

The focus on thinness and dieting in our culture can make young girls, especially, vulnerable to falling into food restriction and subsequent emotional eating behaviour.

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Emotional undereating

Research suggests that emotional undereating is learned behaviour rather than an inherited trait. Various factors, such as parental and family dynamics, social support, and family environment, contribute to this behaviour. For example, parents who use food to soothe their children when they are upset may inadvertently encourage emotional undereating. Additionally, a lack of social support and a negative family environment have been associated with emotional undereating.

The physical and psychological effects of undereating can be detrimental to overall health and well-being. Physically, undereating can lead to a weakened heart, low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, digestive issues, and changes in bone growth and density. Psychologically, undereating can result in depression, panic attacks, obsessiveness, withdrawal, and loss of sexual feelings. It can also impact thinking and consciousness, leading to inflexibility, difficulty in prioritising, impaired concentration, and irrational thoughts.

It is important to recognise that undereating can have serious consequences and seeking professional help is essential for managing this behaviour and improving one's relationship with food.

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