Emotional eating refers to eating more than normal in the face of mood changes. Either negative emotions such as sadness, worry, anger or positive emotions.

Most of the time , the emotions that trigger this type of eating are negative. By eating usually occurs when a person is alone. After dinner or during a snack And it’s more likely to happen when a person dines at their own home than when eating out.

Emotional eating does not serve the needs of the body, i.e. hunger, or does not serve the purpose of increasing energy for everyday use. but to cure negative emotions or promote a person’s positive emotions

The foods that people choose to eat emotionally are often high in calories. or high in carbohydrates This higher calorie intake is an important factor in people gaining weight and being obese.

Factors Related to Emotional Eating

1. Temperament (Mood)

Eating to increase positive emotions and reduce negative emotions Eating is also triggered by negative emotions such as boredom, sadness, anger, fear, worry and loneliness.

2. Situational Characteristics

Life events trigger a range of emotions, with Macht, Haupt and Ellgring finding that students who are approaching exams are more stressed and more likely to eat a stress-management diet.

3. Eating Restraint

It may result in the person who is controlling their weight to become obsessed. Be strict with a strict diet. This puts them at risk for emotional eating, for example, when a person requires a high level of thought. tend to consume more food as well

4. Obesity

Psychosomatic theory (Bruch, 1973) suggests that the link between obesity and food intake stems from a person’s learning through managing negative emotions. This is a learning that has been accumulated since childhood. Braet and Van Strein (1997) reported that obese children under nine years of age were more likely to be associated with emotional eating than children of normal weight.

5. Ethnic (Ethnic Background)

A study by Jingxiong et al. (2007) found that parents in China use food as an expression of love and concern, as well as training their children to change behavior. Similarly, a study by Steinegger, Dorn, Goody, Khoury, and Daniels (2005) found that African American women are particularly vulnerable to emotional eating during their early adolescence.

6. Family Influence

Children may learn to eat emotionally. In addition, Snoek et al. (2007) proposed that adolescent children reported less emotional support. Adolescents who are more likely to have a higher risk of emotional eating than those who have a good relationship with their parents.

7. personality traits (Dispositional Characteristics)

A study by Benjamin and Wulfert (2002) found that the common traits of emotional eaters and alcoholics are impulsive and sociable personalities.