Emotions and Food Consumption: Emotional Eating Behavior in a European Population

Marija Ljubičić; Marijana Matek Sarić; Ivo Klarin; Ivana Rumbak; Irena Colić Barić; Jasmina Ranilović; Boris Dželalija; Ana Sarić; Dario Nakić; Ilija Djekic; Małgorzata Korzeniowska; Elena Bartkiene; Maria Papageorgiou; Monica Tarcea; Maša Černelič-Bizjak; Dace Klava; Viktória Szűcs; Elena Vittadini; Dieuwerke Bolhuis; Raquel P.F. Guiné

doi:10.3390/foods12040872

Emotions and Food Consumption: Emotional Eating Behavior in a European Population

Marija Ljubičić, Marijana Matek Sarić^*, Ivo Klarin, Ivana Rumbak, Irena Colić Barić, Jasmina Ranilović, Boris Dželalija, Ana Sarić, Dario Nakić, Ilija Djekic, Małgorzata Korzeniowska, Elena Bartkiene, Maria Papageorgiou, Monica Tarcea, Maša Černelič-Bizjak, Dace Klava, Viktória Szűcs, Elena Vittadini, Dieuwerke Bolhuis, Raquel P.F. Guiné^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Food Quality and Design

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Emotion can reflect in the perception of food consumption. An increase in food intake during emotional and psychological conditions may have a negative impact on human health. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the associations between food consumption, emotional eating behavior, and emotional conditions such as stress, depression, loneliness, boredom eating, maintaining vigilance and alertness, and emotional food consolation. We used a Motivations for Food Choices Questionnaire (Eating Motivations, EATMOT) to determine the emotional aspects of food consumption in 9052 respondents living in 12 European countries between October 2017 and March 2018. Ordinal linear regression was used to identify the associations between the emotional eating behavior and emotional conditions such as stress, depression, loneliness, emotional consolation, and reasons to improve physical and psychological conditions. The regression models confirmed the associations between food consumption, emotional conditions, and emotional eating behavior. Associations were found between the emotional eating behavior and stress (odds ratio (OR) = 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07–1.60, p = 0.010), depressive mood (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.40–1.43, p < 0.001), loneliness (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.58–1.62, p < 0.001), boredom (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.36–1.39, p < 0.001), and emotional consolation (OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.54–1.57, p < 0.001). Emotional eating was associated with an effort to improve physical and psychological conditions, such as controlling body weight (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.10–1.12, p < 0.001), keeping awake and alert (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.19–1.20, p < 0.001) and consumption to feel good (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.21–1.22, p < 0.001). In conclusion, emotions might provoke emotional eating behavior. The appropriate way to handle stress, depression, or other emotional states is important in conditions of being emotionally overwhelmed. The public should be educated on how to handle different emotional states. The focus should be moved somehow from emotional eating and the consumption of unhealthy food to healthy lifestyle practices, including regular exercise and healthy eating habits. Thus, it is necessary to halt these negative health effects on human health through public health programs.

Original language	English
Article number	872
Number of pages	23
Journal	Foods
Volume	12
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040872
Publication status	Published - 17 Feb 2023

Keywords

emotional eating behavior
emotional motivation
lifestyle
motivation for health behavior
negative emotions
stress-related eating

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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https://edepot.wur.nl/589649Licence: CC BY

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Ljubičić, M., Matek Sarić, M., Klarin, I., Rumbak, I., Colić Barić, I., Ranilović, J., Dželalija, B., Sarić, A., Nakić, D., Djekic, I., Korzeniowska, M., Bartkiene, E., Papageorgiou, M., Tarcea, M., Černelič-Bizjak, M., Klava, D., Szűcs, V., Vittadini, E., Bolhuis, D., & Guiné, R. P. F. (2023). Emotions and Food Consumption: Emotional Eating Behavior in a European Population. Foods, 12(4), Article 872. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040872

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title = "Emotions and Food Consumption: Emotional Eating Behavior in a European Population",

abstract = "Emotion can reflect in the perception of food consumption. An increase in food intake during emotional and psychological conditions may have a negative impact on human health. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the associations between food consumption, emotional eating behavior, and emotional conditions such as stress, depression, loneliness, boredom eating, maintaining vigilance and alertness, and emotional food consolation. We used a Motivations for Food Choices Questionnaire (Eating Motivations, EATMOT) to determine the emotional aspects of food consumption in 9052 respondents living in 12 European countries between October 2017 and March 2018. Ordinal linear regression was used to identify the associations between the emotional eating behavior and emotional conditions such as stress, depression, loneliness, emotional consolation, and reasons to improve physical and psychological conditions. The regression models confirmed the associations between food consumption, emotional conditions, and emotional eating behavior. Associations were found between the emotional eating behavior and stress (odds ratio (OR) = 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07–1.60, p = 0.010), depressive mood (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.40–1.43, p < 0.001), loneliness (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.58–1.62, p < 0.001), boredom (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.36–1.39, p < 0.001), and emotional consolation (OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.54–1.57, p < 0.001). Emotional eating was associated with an effort to improve physical and psychological conditions, such as controlling body weight (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.10–1.12, p < 0.001), keeping awake and alert (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.19–1.20, p < 0.001) and consumption to feel good (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.21–1.22, p < 0.001). In conclusion, emotions might provoke emotional eating behavior. The appropriate way to handle stress, depression, or other emotional states is important in conditions of being emotionally overwhelmed. The public should be educated on how to handle different emotional states. The focus should be moved somehow from emotional eating and the consumption of unhealthy food to healthy lifestyle practices, including regular exercise and healthy eating habits. Thus, it is necessary to halt these negative health effects on human health through public health programs.",

keywords = "emotional eating behavior, emotional motivation, lifestyle, motivation for health behavior, negative emotions, stress-related eating",

author = "Marija Ljubi{\v c}i{\'c} and {Matek Sari{\'c}}, Marijana and Ivo Klarin and Ivana Rumbak and {Coli{\'c} Bari{\'c}}, Irena and Jasmina Ranilovi{\'c} and Boris D{\v z}elalija and Ana Sari{\'c} and Dario Naki{\'c} and Ilija Djekic and Ma{\l}gorzata Korzeniowska and Elena Bartkiene and Maria Papageorgiou and Monica Tarcea and Ma{\v s}a {\v C}erneli{\v c}-Bizjak and Dace Klava and Vikt{\'o}ria Sz{\H u}cs and Elena Vittadini and Dieuwerke Bolhuis and Guin{\'e}, {Raquel P.F.}",

year = "2023",

month = feb,

day = "17",

doi = "10.3390/foods12040872",

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volume = "12",

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Ljubičić, M, Matek Sarić, M, Klarin, I, Rumbak, I, Colić Barić, I, Ranilović, J, Dželalija, B, Sarić, A, Nakić, D, Djekic, I, Korzeniowska, M, Bartkiene, E, Papageorgiou, M, Tarcea, M, Černelič-Bizjak, M, Klava, D, Szűcs, V, Vittadini, E, Bolhuis, D & Guiné, RPF 2023, 'Emotions and Food Consumption: Emotional Eating Behavior in a European Population', Foods, vol. 12, no. 4, 872. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040872

TY - JOUR

T1 - Emotions and Food Consumption

T2 - Emotional Eating Behavior in a European Population

AU - Ljubičić, Marija

AU - Matek Sarić, Marijana

AU - Klarin, Ivo

AU - Rumbak, Ivana

AU - Colić Barić, Irena

AU - Ranilović, Jasmina

AU - Dželalija, Boris

AU - Sarić, Ana

AU - Nakić, Dario

AU - Djekic, Ilija

AU - Korzeniowska, Małgorzata

AU - Bartkiene, Elena

AU - Papageorgiou, Maria

AU - Tarcea, Monica

AU - Černelič-Bizjak, Maša

AU - Klava, Dace

AU - Szűcs, Viktória

AU - Vittadini, Elena

AU - Bolhuis, Dieuwerke

AU - Guiné, Raquel P.F.

PY - 2023/2/17

Y1 - 2023/2/17

N2 - Emotion can reflect in the perception of food consumption. An increase in food intake during emotional and psychological conditions may have a negative impact on human health. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the associations between food consumption, emotional eating behavior, and emotional conditions such as stress, depression, loneliness, boredom eating, maintaining vigilance and alertness, and emotional food consolation. We used a Motivations for Food Choices Questionnaire (Eating Motivations, EATMOT) to determine the emotional aspects of food consumption in 9052 respondents living in 12 European countries between October 2017 and March 2018. Ordinal linear regression was used to identify the associations between the emotional eating behavior and emotional conditions such as stress, depression, loneliness, emotional consolation, and reasons to improve physical and psychological conditions. The regression models confirmed the associations between food consumption, emotional conditions, and emotional eating behavior. Associations were found between the emotional eating behavior and stress (odds ratio (OR) = 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07–1.60, p = 0.010), depressive mood (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.40–1.43, p < 0.001), loneliness (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.58–1.62, p < 0.001), boredom (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.36–1.39, p < 0.001), and emotional consolation (OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.54–1.57, p < 0.001). Emotional eating was associated with an effort to improve physical and psychological conditions, such as controlling body weight (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.10–1.12, p < 0.001), keeping awake and alert (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.19–1.20, p < 0.001) and consumption to feel good (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.21–1.22, p < 0.001). In conclusion, emotions might provoke emotional eating behavior. The appropriate way to handle stress, depression, or other emotional states is important in conditions of being emotionally overwhelmed. The public should be educated on how to handle different emotional states. The focus should be moved somehow from emotional eating and the consumption of unhealthy food to healthy lifestyle practices, including regular exercise and healthy eating habits. Thus, it is necessary to halt these negative health effects on human health through public health programs.

AB - Emotion can reflect in the perception of food consumption. An increase in food intake during emotional and psychological conditions may have a negative impact on human health. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the associations between food consumption, emotional eating behavior, and emotional conditions such as stress, depression, loneliness, boredom eating, maintaining vigilance and alertness, and emotional food consolation. We used a Motivations for Food Choices Questionnaire (Eating Motivations, EATMOT) to determine the emotional aspects of food consumption in 9052 respondents living in 12 European countries between October 2017 and March 2018. Ordinal linear regression was used to identify the associations between the emotional eating behavior and emotional conditions such as stress, depression, loneliness, emotional consolation, and reasons to improve physical and psychological conditions. The regression models confirmed the associations between food consumption, emotional conditions, and emotional eating behavior. Associations were found between the emotional eating behavior and stress (odds ratio (OR) = 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07–1.60, p = 0.010), depressive mood (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.40–1.43, p < 0.001), loneliness (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.58–1.62, p < 0.001), boredom (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.36–1.39, p < 0.001), and emotional consolation (OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.54–1.57, p < 0.001). Emotional eating was associated with an effort to improve physical and psychological conditions, such as controlling body weight (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.10–1.12, p < 0.001), keeping awake and alert (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.19–1.20, p < 0.001) and consumption to feel good (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.21–1.22, p < 0.001). In conclusion, emotions might provoke emotional eating behavior. The appropriate way to handle stress, depression, or other emotional states is important in conditions of being emotionally overwhelmed. The public should be educated on how to handle different emotional states. The focus should be moved somehow from emotional eating and the consumption of unhealthy food to healthy lifestyle practices, including regular exercise and healthy eating habits. Thus, it is necessary to halt these negative health effects on human health through public health programs.

KW - emotional eating behavior

KW - emotional motivation

KW - lifestyle

KW - motivation for health behavior

KW - negative emotions

KW - stress-related eating

U2 - 10.3390/foods12040872

DO - 10.3390/foods12040872

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85148908503

SN - 2304-8158

VL - 12

JO - Foods

JF - Foods

IS - 4

M1 - 872

ER -

Emotions and Food Consumption: Emotional Eating Behavior in a European Population

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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