Emotional Eating

Do you eat or not eat when you’re sad, stressed, bored, lonely or happy? Do your emotions stimulate or suppress your appetite? Good news, you’re not the only one! 

The term “emotional eating” has been widely used to refer to the tendency to eat in response to negative emotions. The commonly chosen foods tend to be energy-dense and palatable foods.1 Emotional eating can be caused by various mechanisms, such as, depression, anxiety, genetics, and shorter sleep duration and has been linked to undesired weight gain in adults.1,2 

Depression (depression-melancholia) is typically characterized by loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss.3 There is also a depression subtype that is characterized by increased appetite and weight gain.3 Emotional eating, depression and weight gain is impacted by physical activity and sleep duration. Since reduced sleep duration can be seen as a stressor itself, it can exacerbate the effects of weight gain. Sleep deprivation is also known to cause fluctuations in your hunger hormone levels leaving you feeling hungrier more often. As for exercise, just one session of exercise has shown to beneficial and regular activity has been helpful for coping with stress.4

So what is the difference between physical and psychological hunger? 

Physical hunger is when your stomach is empty and your brain signals that it is hungry. This starts by stomach growling, thoughts about food, feelings of irritability, tiredness and poor concentration. This is usually driven by your body’s need to acquire more energy. Remember when you are physically hungry, any food will satisfy you! Psychological hunger is when you eat in response to your emotions, whether you’re sad, anxious, bored or lonely. The result is a feeling of guilt or regret! 

How do you tell if you’re truly hungry? 

Do a mental check-in. Ask yourself what emotions are you feeling? When is the last time you ate a meal or snack? Are you cutting back on carbohydrates? Are you not eating enough protein? Are you skipping meals? Are you craving hyperpalatable foods like potato chips, candy, and ice cream? Are you trying to reduce calories? Are you exercising a lot? Are you drinking too much alcohol? Are you bored, anxious or sad? Are you thirsty? Are you getting enough sleep? 

What can you do to stave off physical or physiological hunger? 

  1. Eat balanced meals (protein, carbohydrate, and a vegetable or fruit). 

  2. Eat adequate amounts of fiber. Limit refined carbohydrates. Fiber helps keep you fuller for longer. 

  3. Practice mindful eating. Eat slowly. Take your time chewing your food. Put your fork down between bites. It takes approximately 20 minutes from the time you start eating for your brain to send out signals of fullness.

  4. Do not skip meals. 

  5. Drink plenty of fluids. Feeling of thirst can be mistaken for feelings of hunger. 

  6. Limit alcohol. Alcohol may impair the part of your brain that controls judgement and self-control which can lead to poor food choices.  

  7. Exercise. Take a walk. 

  8. Stay busy. Have a plan when you get bored. Make a new habit! 

  9. Know your trigger foods. 

  10. Know your hunger signs. 

  11.  Tune in to your emotions. Work on reducing stress. Practice self-awareness. Deep breathing exercises! 

  12.  Avoid eating when you’re distracted. Distracted eating may be a reason why you are always hungry as it makes it difficult to recognize feelings of fullness. 

Frequent and excessive hunger may be a symptom of a disease such as hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and unhealthy hormone levels. If you suspect you have one of these conditions, contact your healthcare provider to receive proper diagnosis and discuss proper treatment options. 

References: 

  1. Konttinen H. Emotional eating and obesity in adults: the role of depression, sleep and genes. Proc Nutr Soc. 2020 Aug;79(3):283-289. doi: 10.1017/S0029665120000166. Epub 2020 Mar 26. PMID: 32213213.

  2. Konttinen H, van Strien T, Männistö S, Jousilahti P, Haukkala A. Depression, emotional eating and long-term weight changes: a population-based prospective study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2019 Mar 20;16(1):28. doi: 10.1186/s12966-019-0791-8. PMID: 30894189; PMCID: PMC6427874.

  3. American Psychiatric Association . Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 5. Arlington: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.

  4. Bernstein EE, McNally RJ. Exercise as a buffer against difficulties with emotion regulation: A pathway to emotional wellbeing. Behav Res Ther. 2018 Oct;109:29-36. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2018.07.010. Epub 2018 Aug 1. PMID: 30081242.