RRI.CO.ID, Bogor - Emotional eating is a behavior where individuals consume food driven by emotions rather than hunger. The phenomenon was explained by a lecturer from IPB University Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition.
As quoted by IPB University website on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, Reisi Nurdiani, explained that eating activity is closely linked to psychological conditions and emotional control. “Emotional eating refers to the tendency to consume food due to emotional control, not hunger,” she said.
She noted that triggers are not always negative emotions such as stress or anxiety. Feelings of happiness may also encourage individuals to eat as a form of celebration.
Problems arise when this habit occurs too frequently and becomes the main coping mechanism. Warning signs include eating without hunger, difficulty controlling portions, craving specific foods, and guilt afterward.
Reisi described three eating behaviors including emotional eating, external eating, and restrained eating patterns. Emotional eating is influenced by feelings, external eating by visual stimuli, and restrained eating by conscious restriction.
She added that emotional eating is most common among adolescents and young adults. High performance expectations and intense pressure during these stages increase vulnerability to emotional eating behaviors.
This condition may affect health because individuals often choose high sugar and high fat comfort foods. Long term excessive intake can increase body weight, trigger obesity, and raise degenerative disease risks.
To control emotional eating, she firmly recommended emotional management as the primary strategy. Balanced nutrition, mindfulness eating, physical activity, relaxation, social support, and structured routines can reduce stress triggers effectively.
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