Study links emotion regulation difficulties to emotional eating

A meta-analysis involving researchers from the University of the Basque Country and other Spanish institutions has identified a correlation between difficulties in emotion regulation and emotional eating. The study analyzed data from 40 studies involving 14,481 participants, with an average age of approximately 27 years.

Researchers found a moderate link between the inability to manage emotions and eating in response to psychological states rather than physical hunger. This connection was notably more pronounced during negative emotional states, such as stress, sadness, or anxiety, whereas no statistically significant correlation was found regarding eating in response to positive emotions alone.

The findings do not establish that difficulty regulating emotions directly causes emotional eating, but rather indicate a significant relationship between the two. Experts suggest that understanding these psychological drivers is essential for developing effective interventions that combine nutritional habits with improved emotional coping mechanisms.