Emotions and Eating Behaviour: Implications for the Current Obesity Epidemic

Developed countries around the world are experiencing an epidemic of overeating and obesity with significant costs at a personal, familial, and societal level. While most research on obesity has focused on metabolic factors, this paper considers how emotional factors might contribute to this problem. Two examples we address are the use of food to modify negative mood states, also called emotional eating, and food intake as an addiction. Our central question is what makes some individuals prone to emotional eating and/or food addiction, while others are clearly less vulnerable in this regard. Ultimately, we suggest how obesity research, prevention, and treatment might address the emotional underpinnings of the current overeating epidemic.