EMOTIONAL EATING AND THE IMPACT ON HEALTH

​Nutrition, which represents the nutrients taken orally and in sufficient amounts for the growth and development of the body and for people to sustain their lives, is not considered only a physiological event. It is known that psychologically, nutritional status is linked to emotions, and that emotions such as excitement, stress, happiness, depression, boredom, sadness, etc., can change during the nutritional process.

Emotional eating, which is one of the psychological factors, is a non-pathological eating behavior defined as "the tendency to overeat in response to negative emotions." Emotional eating is also defined as a psychological eating style that occurs in response to mood changes such as loneliness, depression, and anxiety, and can cause a person to consume more food than normal.

The symptoms of physical hunger and emotional hunger differ. In the case of physical hunger, people feel hungry in their stomachs, their blood sugar may drop; then they feel full when they eat. This hunger-soothing behavior differs from that of people who exhibit emotional eating behavior. People can satisfy their physical hunger by eating low-energy foods such as snacks, vegetables, or fruits. However, emotional hunger occurs suddenly and does not show normal physical signals. In the case of emotional hunger, people prefer everything they find (mostly high-energy foods).

It is stated that emotional eating is caused by deficiencies in emotion regulation and inhibition. Other factors that contribute to this are genetics and stress. Emotional eating is often seen as a way to escape from negative emotions. People eat and drink to reduce stress, feel better, be happy, cope with problems, etc., even though they are full, thinking that they can get rid of that emotion by eating and drinking something as a result of encountering negative emotions.

Stress and negative emotions can cause a person to lose control and increase their appetite, leading to overeating. Appetite is regulated through two mechanisms. The first is the increased production of dopamine and serotonin after consuming delicious foods in the hedonic phase, which stimulates the reward system. The second is homeostatic regulation, regulated by biological needs and hormones such as leptin, affecting appetite and the eating process. Dopamine is synthesized and released by dopamine neurons located in three main areas in the middle of the brain (ventral tegmental area, substantia nigra and retrorubral area). Dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area send projections to the ventral striatum (the main brain region related to food desire) to form mesolimbic circuits. The hyperactive mesolimbic dopaminergic system, traditionally associated with motivation, leads to an increased incentive or desire for food-related rewards, thereby contributing to the initiation of food consumption. It is stated that people with insufficient dopamine tend to compensate for this deficiency externally in order to feel happy and tend to be addicted.

It is stated that emotional eating occurs more frequently in children, adolescents, individuals with high body mass index (BMI) and obese individuals, women who are on/not on a diet, and individuals with mental problems.

Emotional eating is thought to cause many problems. This eating pattern, along with increased food consumption, makes it difficult for people to manage their body weight, posing a risk for clinically problematic eating patterns such as binge eating disorder. In addition, emotional eating, which emerges as a coping behavior, leads to the continuation of existing problems and additional stress experiences. These emotional eating habits, combined with increased body weight, have been reported to increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease. In addition, emotional eaters may often feel negative feelings about their physical appearance immediately after eating events. Eating behaviors can also affect body image, which can lead to body dissatisfaction, which refers to a person's negative self-evaluation of their body.

Nutrition has a two-way effect on emotions. Emotions can influence food choices, and the foods we consume can also impact our mood. It is stated that mindful eating and meditation are beneficial in treating emotional eating. It is emphasized that the most important way to get rid of emotional eating is to increase emotional awareness; to know how to listen to hunger signals and the body's reactions, to keep a food and emotion diary, and to learn to eat mindfully.

It is recommended that behavioral change therapy be provided in the form of individual or group meetings. It is thought that it would be beneficial for health professionals to make a general assessment, provide the patient with ways to change their normal diet, and plan an appropriate education program for the patient (the benefits and harms of following or not following the diet).

It is also stated that participating in physical activity helps individuals create a solid knowledge system and cognitive framework regarding their health and body image, while also providing opportunities for social interaction that allow them to perceive themselves accurately and overcome the fear of external judgment. It is argued that physical activity can help individuals escape the vicious circle mentioned above, develop a regular and self-disciplined lifestyle, and gain control over their own emotions.