The role of emotional eating as relief mechanism from psychological distress and its impact on overall wellbeing

Abstract

Emotional eating, characterized by the consumption of highly palatable and calorie dense foods in response to psychological distress and negative emotions, poses a significant challenge to global public health and well-being. Based on the studies showing the complex interplay between emotional states and dietary choices, highlighted the motivational role of relief seeking, which according to a Hull's drive reduction theory, emphasizes the role of internal drives and external cues. Inability to cope with negative feelings and/or high tension indicates that emotion regulation can be a critical factor in maintaining well-being, as adaptive regulation protects against negative emotions and external stressors; which if not developed properly, can lead to avoidant coping strategies, which can contribute to eating disorder symptoms. Therefore, dysregulation of the hedonic and homeostatic food intake, compromised cortical control, and alterations in the gut signaling are implicated in obesity triggered by stress-induced eating. Therefore this review aim to further discuss these observations to provide better understanding of the role of emotional eating in providing a relief from the psychological distress, emphasizing impact of the food on the reward system; while providing insights in emerging holistic mitigating approaches which by promoting alternative coping mechanisms and adequate nutrition and supplementation, may help to aid the emotional eating management and reduce burden on related to that illnesses.